The Next Generation (Season 1)

[Snowman37]

Watching TNG's first season with my mom. We've finished Disc 1, featuring: "Encounter at Farpoint," "The Naked Now," and "Code of Honor." So far, all great episodes. My mom didn't like that Q was villainous, though. Granted, this is based off his DS9 episode and his first two (of three) VOY episodes. Our next episode will be "The Last Outpost." My mom's accustomed to the Ferengi as presented on DS9 (Seasons 1-3). I love the first Ferengi episode, because it is so bad.

[blueray]

not sure the point of this thread. but i know when i attempted to watch TNG I didn't like the evil Q either, i had only seen him in Voyager. so i was shocked to see a dark side of him. and when i saw the ferengi episode it was okay, but i hated them. now that i've seen ds9, if i'd to watch it again i'm sure i won't like how they protray them and will continue to compare them to ds9's characters.

[The Urban Spaceman]

The Ferengi in TNG do get more DS9-ish as the show progresses. It's just that with the Federation and the Klingons having signed a peace treaty, they needed a new nemesis for Our Heroes during arc episodes. At first it was supposed to be the Ferengi, until TPTB realised the audience found them totally ludicrous. They came up with some better enemies in future episodes.

[Snowman37]

not sure the point of this thread.

Nostalgia.

but i know when i attempted to watch TNG I didn't like the evil Q either, i had only seen him in Voyager. so i was shocked to see a dark side of him.

It's interesting to see yet someone else have the same reaction. My introduction to Q was on TNG, "Q Who" was the first Q episode I'd seen. Come DS9 and VOY, he felt less threatening, and more like someone who was bored with life, seeking adventure.

The Ferengi in TNG do get more DS9-ish as the show progresses. It's just that with the Federation and the Klingons having signed a peace treaty, they needed a new nemesis for Our Heroes during arc episodes. At first it was supposed to be the Ferengi, until TPTB realised the audience found them totally ludicrous. They came up with some better enemies in future episodes.

Why didn't they just run with the Romulans from the get go? When the Ferengi were first introduced, the Klingons were members of the Federation. I believe it was the second season that retconned them into being allies. The Klingons as members of the Federation was ignored after that. I guess the writers decided they were more interesting as a separate power. Smart move. When did the Ferengi shift toward their DS9 portrayal?

[The Urban Spaceman]

It's interesting to see yet someone else have the same reaction. My introduction to Q was on TNG, "Q Who" was the first Q episode I'd seen. Come DS9 and VOY, he felt less threatening, and more like someone who was bored with life, seeking adventure.

What I found most jarring between TNG and VOY/DS9's Q was that originally in TNG, he was portrayed as a serious and all-powerful being who was sitting in judgment over Picard and humanity in what appeared to be quite a serious setting.

He became much more of a trickster as the show progressed.

Why didn't they just run with the Romulans from the get go? When the Ferengi were first introduced, the Klingons were members of the Federation. I believe it was the second season that retconned them into being allies. The Klingons as members of the Federation was ignored after that. I guess the writers decided they were more interesting as a separate power. Smart move. When did the Ferengi shift toward their DS9 portrayal?

They only appear as 'credible' enemies for a couple of episodes. After that they tend to show up on occasion to show mischief and be made fun of. DS9 vindicated them in many ways, turning them from the amusing clowns they were eventually made out to be on later eps of TNG, into individuals with some very different morals and quite poignant thoughts about humanity, and the Ferengi place in the galaxy.

[rushy]

Q IS AWESOME. Has anyone played Star Trek: Borg? It's a Q game and it's fantastic.

[hlndncr]

I just watched Encounter at Farpoint last night. It's been years! I started watching TNG from the very beginning when it first aired. I was 13. It's so strange to see it now after all these years.

I really liked the serious Q. I wish a little more of that would have been preserved.

Also noticed the reference to the Ferengi in this episode. Picard suggested that they ate people. Knowing what the Ferengi were to become it was quite amusing.

[hlndncr]

I watched The Naked Now yesterday. I remember back when TNG first aired I was initially reluctant to embrace it. I had grown up with reruns of the original Star Trek and I couldn't say that I loved them but they were familiar. I felt that TNG was just a rehash in a slightly more modern setting. This second episode did nothing to allay my negative perceptions.

Looking at it now I can see reasons why they did it. After what must have been a very expensive episode to open the series this one must have been a considerable money saver, with standing sets and relatively few effects. It also acknowledges and gives homage to TOS, which was probably very important when trying to revive the franchise in a new incarnation.

But the story itself was really weak and we didn't even have Reilly's crooning to amuse us.

I think the only reason I orginally kept watching at this point was because I was 13 and I had a crush on Will Wheaton (don't judge me); oh and we only had one tv so I was out voted.

[hlndncr]

Wow, I forgot how rough the early episodes were. I just watched Code of Honor and it was so bad. The styling, poor music and clunky story reminded me of a TOS episode.

It's also clear that they still have no idea who most of their characters are or what to do with them. Worf wasn't there at all. Wesley is wandering on and off the bridge. No one seemed to be doing much of anything. The acting was all pretty sloppy and uninspired too, but given the poor script I can't entirely blame the cast for that.

When I initially watched this series, so many years ago, I liked the Tasha Yar character alright, but now I don't see much to her. I'm not sure had Crosby stuck around that they would have been able to find many interesting stories for her.

[Morbo]

most of season 1 is easily unwatchable.

[Snowman37]

Wow, I forgot how rough the early episodes were. I just watched Code of Honor and it was so bad. The styling, poor music and clunky story reminded me of a TOS episode.

Though forgettable, this was an OK episode. What was so bad about it, exactly? As I revisit this first season, something comes to mind. Doesn't the Prime Directive prohibit first contact with pre-warp worlds? If so, was this something that was added to the Prime Directive, or is it yet another retcon? I presume you dislike TOS?

It's also clear that they still have no idea who most of their characters are or what to do with them. Worf wasn't there at all. Wesley is wandering on and off the bridge. No one seemed to be doing much of anything. The acting was all pretty sloppy and uninspired too, but given the poor script I can't entirely blame the cast for that.

It's not that they don't know who they are. Remember, it's a television series with multiple writers. Consequently, the characters are being developed as the series progresses. As for Worf, he's just a bridge officer at this point in the series. Originally, he was just going to be an extra in the background. Michael Dorn impressed everyone so much, he was added to the main cast. As for Wesley, the writers didn't seem to have him figured out until "Where No One Has Gone Before." Can you give an expanded criticism of the episode beyond poor?

When I initially watched this series, so many years ago, I liked the Tasha Yar character alright, but now I don't see much to her. I'm not sure had Crosby stuck around that they would have been able to find many interesting stories for her.

She left before her character had a chance to develop. To be fair, we really didn't know that much about Worf or LaForge either. Remember, the show was plot driven, so character development was going to take time. If I remember right, Crosby's departure was based around the cast being too large. She felt she wasn't getting enough screen time and development. Personally, I'd imagine the paycheck would be incentive to stay. Ah well... Didn't she also leave due to the sets being overwhelming, or something like that?

Had she stayed, I think she'd have ended up like she did in "Yesterday's Enterprise." Tasha was interesting, I would have liked to see her stay on. Had she not left, I suspect they would have changed up the Tasha/Worf dynamic. I could see Tasha manning tactical while Worf would proceed to the lower decks to take care of security matters. During away teams, Tasha would be in charge of ship board security while Worf would be the away team security officer. I think there would have been room for both of them. As it stands, I like how instead of Tasha being replaced, Worf got promoted. To me, that is more realistic.

most of season 1 is easily unwatchable.

Why? Are there particular episodes you dislike, or is it just the overall production that you take issue with? If so, what was wrong with the first season production?

[hlndncr]

I don't dislike TOS. I accept it for what it was, an early and pioneering sci-fi effort with very limited effects and budget. But the stories were often repetative and choppy. The same three or four music cues were used over and over again whether they fit the scene or not. And the set dec was all done with these backlit jewel tone walls. That's what Code of Honor looked and felt like to me. The scenes were cobbled together without much sense to it, the dialog was choppy at best. The sets and lighting very much mimiced the look of the earlier series. I suppose that gives it a certain retro charm, but I found it mostly tedious.

I didn't know Worf wasn't intended to be a main cast member. I think it was a good choice to promote him. Michael Dorn is very engaging and it added some diversity and interesting potential conflicts/storylines to the show.

I know the characters will take time to develop and eventually I think they do work out the kinks and find their niche. I agree that Jordi was also quite extraneous in the early going and making him the Chief Engineer (was that in Season 2?) was a good move. I'm just pointing out that these early episodes still have a long way to go before I would say that the show really found its feet.

[hlndncr]

I just watched The Last Outpost.

And the new big baddies in the Star Trek universe are . . . capitalists. How very Hollywood.

I kept waiting for the show to come to a point. It just didn't feel like the story went anywhere. It was all set up with no real climax. What was the deal with the lost empire? Where did it come from? Why was it important? What was the purpose of Portal? While I'm left with all of these questions I find that I just don't much care what the answers are. This episode wasn't terrible; it just wasn't that interesting.

[Snowman37]

Is this your first time watching the show? Yes, Geordi becomes the Chief Engineer in the second season. Also, I see what you mean now about "Code of Honor" having a 60's grove going in terms of production.

As for "The Last Outpost," the lost empire wasn't important. The show was about establishing the Ferengi and how noble humanity and the Federation are.

[hlndncr]

Is this your first time watching the show? Yes, Geordi becomes the Chief Engineer in the second season. Also, I see what you mean now about "Code of Honor" having a 60's grove going in terms of production.

As for "The Last Outpost," the lost empire wasn't important. The show was about establishing the Ferengi and how noble humanity and the Federation are.

I'm sorry I didn't look up the spelling for the characters' names; it just wasn't that important to me.

My whole point was that the story felt like it didn't matter. It never really went anywhere or said much and what could have been interesting was totally ignored.

As I said several times, I watched these episodes when they originally aired more than twenty years ago when I was 13. It was a long time ago and I don't remember much. I haven't seen the later seasons at all because I was in college when they aired and had lost interest by that time. I'm sure I caught a few episodes here and there. I vaguely remember watching the finale.

So far I've liked "Where No One Has Gone Before" best of the S1 episodes. It was a nice little story that was tight and interesting and it pulled me along. I found the Traveller and his people intriguing. I thought the effects were nicely rendered and they gave the M? galaxy and the "end of the universe" a foreign and exotic feel. The dreams gave us tidbits of insights into several of the characters. And as someone pointed out earlier, it was nice to see Wesley get a purpose.

What's with the Chief Engineers? In Code of Honor it was a woman named McDougal? This time it's a guy named Argyle? Was it meant to be a little joke; all Starfleet engineers (at least aboard the Enterprise) are Scots?

[hlndncr]

Lonely Among Us was an alright episode. I wouldn't call it top ten by any means, but it held my interest. The peace delegate stuff seemed rather extraneous. Data with the pipe was funny. I don't understand why the Captain would want to go off with the alien entity like that. It seemed rather cavelier and irresponsible. I can understand him having a desire to explore and see the universe in a different way, but he was awfully quick to resign and try something totally experimental and dangerous. As a senior Starfleet officer I would think his sense of duty and loyalty would have at least made him hesitate a little more.

[hlndncr]

Justice was not a bad ep. I kept expecting Picard to start quoting Shakespeare, "The quality of mercy is not strained . . . ." I think the stories and the acting are improving as the season moves along, but I still haven't seen an episode that just really knocks it out of the park. You know that first episode of a new show that says to you this has something here. Like Torment of Tantalus for SG1 or Before I Sleep for SGA. Well, I'm only nine episodes into a 27 episode season so there's still time to build to that crescendo.

[The Urban Spaceman]

I don't think there is such an episode until Conspiracy. At least, IMO. But the show is a lot slower to start that DS9, because it's very episodic in the beginning.

[hlndncr]

I don't think there is such an episode until Conspiracy. At least, IMO. But the show is a lot slower to start that DS9, because it's very episodic in the beginning.

The episodic nature of the show doesn't bother me. I much prefer it that way.

[The Urban Spaceman]

You may enjoy the episode "The Chase", it's a bit of a shocker like that SG1 moment, but unfortunately it doesn't happen until season 6 (ep 20)