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Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

#151
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12/5/08 at 8:11am
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Favate
The concept behind the show is about so much more than militarism, battles or good and evil. I always thought it was about human understanding, accomplishment and discovery. Maybe the studio doesn't think those things make a blockbuster movie, but they worked well enough to launch a TV show 40+ years ago that still endures.

As a life-long Trek fan, I would have to say that you pretty much nailed what I think of when I think of Trek.

Those concepts also led to some of the best episodes of the spin off series as well:
TNG:
The Measure of a Man
Time Squared
Who Watches the Watchers (Essentially "Insurrection" without the villain)
Relics
The Inner Light

DS9:
Explorers
The Visitor
Children of Time
In The Cards
Far Beyond the Stars

Voyager:
Lifesigns
Living Witness
Barge of the Dead
One Small Step
Pathfinder

Joseph
---------------

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#152
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4/6/09 at 9:33pm
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

I'm standing firm on this one. I think the first 3 seasons are the best.
I guess the reason why is that the episodes are so interesting. Exploration, and discovery are the basis for these seasons. Season 2 especially. The later seasons(note:I haven't started season 7 yet) are more along the lines of inner turmoil, and character development, and less planet and aliens of the week. They are great, but it would be better if there were a common ground between the two.

I know I'm the minority with this opinion, but I can't change the fact that I'd rather watch the early seasons any day over the later ones.

                          

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#153
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4/7/09 at 12:30am
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Actually, I think a lot of fans (including myself) would agree with you about season 3. I think it is the best season overall in terms of consistency from episode to episode. Some of the universally agreed upon best episodes of the series (i.e. "Yesterday's Enterprise" and "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1") appear in that season, as well as some of my personal favourites (i.e. "Deja Q" and "The Hunted"), there are very few episodes that aren't at least a little good in that season, and even the poorer ones are not nearly as bad as some of the lows of the other seasons.

I think the worst seasons are the first and last. The first just had a lot of problems getting off the ground with some rather clunky storytelling and corny acting/writing/special effects and the show was kind of running out of steam with ideas that were too high concept in the last season. On the plus side, at least it ends brilliantly with a fantastic series finale, and there are a few gems in there among all the nonsense in season 7.

Smallest DVD collection on HTF
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#154
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4/7/09 at 6:53am
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

i liked the 1st season cause it's basically TOS-style flava' but don't like it because gene wanted a rehash of TOS, but with perfect society. it's the flaws that make us human and some of that came through (i bet due to ron moore .

i don't remember much of s7, but the relationship between worf and troi was kind of hokey >P. riker and troi makes sense... but worf? that was like a wth moment.

to the edge of eternity and depth of infinity, stupidity knows no bound.

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#155
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4/7/09 at 7:30am
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryan^H
I'm standing firm on this one. I think the first 3 seasons are the best.
I guess the reason why is that the episodes are so interesting. Exploration, and discovery are the basis for these seasons. Season 2 especially. The later seasons(note:I haven't started season 7 yet) are more along the lines of inner turmoil, and character development, and less planet and aliens of the week. They are great, but it would be better if there were a common ground between the two.

I know I'm the minority with this opinion, but I can't change the fact that I'd rather watch the early seasons any day over the later ones.
For some reason, I too watch the earlier seasons of TNG more so than I do the later ones. And Season Two really is a gem, maybe a lot better than what you might read about it on various Boards. Although I liked the addition of Pulaski, I don't believe that that is the primary reason why I appreciate the second season as much as I do. There are some wonderful stories and some excellent character development from that season.
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#156
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4/7/09 at 9:28am
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

I would still say season 3 is the best - the most consistent, and the one which gave the series its own unique look (the new costumes, the lighting, etc.). I'll agree that there are gems to be found in the first two years, but seasons 3-5 are probably the best, with 3 standing out for me. It was probably because Michael Piller was in charge and the likes of Jeri Taylor and Brannon Braga hadn't found their way into the show yet.


I don't have time enough to watch all these DVDs!

DVD Comment: Reviews Of DVDs & Digital Formats - 30 Rock Season 2
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#157
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4/7/09 at 5:23pm
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ockeghem
For some reason, I too watch the earlier seasons of TNG more so than I do the later ones. And Season Two really is a gem, maybe a lot better than what you might read about it on various Boards. Although I liked the addition of Pulaski, I don't believe that that is the primary reason why I appreciate the second season as much as I do. There are some wonderful stories and some excellent character development from that season.
I used to read reviews all over the place online. People used to condemn the first few seasons. I don't think I will ever understand why. And yes, season 2 is amazing. Fantastic tv.

                          

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#158
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4/7/09 at 11:55pm
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Quote:
And yes, season 2 is amazing. Fantastic tv.

Not in my view. TNG didn't start getting good until the third season.
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#159
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4/8/09 at 10:23am
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryan^H
I used to read reviews all over the place online. People used to condemn the first few seasons. I don't think I will ever understand why. And yes, season 2 is amazing. Fantastic tv.
Bryan,

Agreed. The second season gave us some very interesting story lines, and also (at least in my view) challenged my preconceptions about a few things relative to Trek (which at that time included only TOS, TAS, and a few films).

I think Unnatural Selection, Measure of a Man, A Matter of Honor, Where Silence Has Lease, Contagion, The Royale (I loved the premise of this one), Time Squared, and of course, our first visual introduction to the Borg, Q Who, were among the finest the season had to offer. I have a few more that in my view receive honorable mention, but of course my choices for those as well as for my favorites are subjective.
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#160
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4/8/09 at 2:28pm
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Quote:
The Royale

Really?
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#161
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4/8/09 at 2:43pm
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

I had forgotten that a science fiction channel here airs this show, mostly because I stopped watching the channel altogether. I didn't know what was on it.

Anyway, I see this episode called "The Loss", about how Troi temporarily loses her empathic powers. I never liked Troi because of those abilities, and there was a scene where Riker perfectly nails the reason why - her superiority and advantage over people. The control and the ability to manipulate. The problem with the scene was that there was no resolution to it. Troi says something like "that's not true" and they left it there. Guess they were too close to having the characters have genuine conflict over the issue.

As for the rest of the episode, I just couldn't grasp what the hell everyone was talking about. Cosmic strings and three-dimensional universes and points of view...I had forgotten just how "tech" the show was. I laughed about that, thinking "okay...."

I've always liked "Insurrection". Its more gentle nature was quite nice. Joystick was a bit much but rather than be upset by it (and I assume most were) I laughed and went along with it.
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#162
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4/8/09 at 3:03pm
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Quote:
Anyway, I see this episode called "The Loss", about how Troi temporarily loses her empathic powers


I loved how Riker read her the riot-act.
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#163
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4/8/09 at 4:54pm
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ockeghem


I think Unnatural Selection, Measure of a Man, A Matter of Honor, Where Silence Has Lease, Contagion, The Royale (I loved the premise of this one), Time Squared, and of course, our first visual introduction to the Borg, Q Who, were among the finest the season had to offer. I have a few more that in my view receive honorable mention, but of course my choices for those as well as for my favorites are subjective.
I second THE ROYALE as a great episode. This one in particular has been singled out as a bad episode by many. It's fun, smart, and feels more like an original series episode. Man, I love season 2.

                          

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#164
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4/9/09 at 10:20am
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

can som1 remind me what the royale was about again?

to the edge of eternity and depth of infinity, stupidity knows no bound.

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#165
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4/9/09 at 12:16pm
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by JediFonger
can som1 remind me what the royale was about again?

The Royale (episode - Memory Alpha, the Star Trek Wiki)
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#166
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4/9/09 at 2:36pm
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryan^H
I second THE ROYALE as a great episode. This one in particular has been singled out as a bad episode by many. It's fun, smart, and feels more like an original series episode. Man, I love season 2.
Bryan,

You may have hit on another reason why I liked The Royale so much. The episode is similar to TOS with regard to the overall 'feel' of the script and scenes. I also love how the premise -- in an almost Ray Bradbury-esque (or perhaps Kurt Vonnegut?) fashion -- becomes reality as time moves (in this case) forward in consort with the storyline. That's the aspect that I find particularly appealing in The Royale. Beyond that, I liked the guest stars -- Noble Willingham for one -- that appeared in the episode. And the gangster-like atmosphere was a nice touch, lending an edge to the story, as was the lighting used in the pre- and post-casino scenes. Those reminded me of The Empath in some respects.
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#167
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4/9/09 at 4:49pm
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

I haven't read this whole thread, so correct me if I'm wrong:

Are some of you basically saying you like "The Next Generation" - specifically its earlier episodes BECAUSE of how much it reminds you of the Original series?
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#168
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4/9/09 at 7:58pm
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nicholas Martin
I haven't read this whole thread, so correct me if I'm wrong:

Are some of you basically saying you like "The Next Generation" - specifically its earlier episodes BECAUSE of how much it reminds you of the Original series?
For my own part, I am not saying that with regard to the topic at hand. Some episodes (very few) from the earliest seasons remind me of TOS. The story lines, with the exception of the two similarly-titled episodes from season one that parallel both TNG and TOS (neither of which I listed in my brief list of favorites above) are why I appreciate the earlier seasons of TNG as much as I do.

That being said, I can think of several instances whereby TNG (all seven seasons) does remind me of the original series. And when this is the case, I find it to be a very positive characteristic of TNG.
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#169
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4/9/09 at 8:35pm
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nicholas Martin

Are some of you basically saying you like "The Next Generation" - specifically its earlier episodes BECAUSE of how much it reminds you of the Original series?

Not really. TNG is certainly it's own show. The fact that this particular episode feels like a TOS episode is not an insult. Having a thread on TNG without some references to the show that made it possible in the first place is outlandish. Can't we like both series? Am I in the wrong thread?

                          

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#170
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4/9/09 at 9:50pm
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

No no, I just get the impression that it's that connection that is what's so favorable about it, especially earlier season episodes.

A lot of "that" in my sentence.

I'm not a fan of TOS, and yet I loved the features.

Even "Final Frontier".
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#171
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4/10/09 at 11:41am
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Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

thanks for the reminder. now i remember watching this =P. i'm pretty sure i've seen every single ep of TNG during its original syndicated schedule.

re: TNG&TOS. i like star trek, even the animated series. so anything trek, i will experience it once, even if don't grow to like it as much as i do TOS. an example of that is Enterprise. as good as it was, never lived up to the full potential of the other series that i've seen.

to the edge of eternity and depth of infinity, stupidity knows no bound.

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