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post #151 of 235
12/5/08 at 8:11am

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
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post #152 of 235
4/6/09 at 9:33pm

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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post #153 of 235
4/7/09 at 12:30am

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.
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post #154 of 235
4/7/09 at 6:53am

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.
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post #155 of 235
4/7/09 at 7:30am

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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post #156 of 235
4/7/09 at 9:28am

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.
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post #157 of 235
4/7/09 at 5:23pm

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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post #158 of 235
4/7/09 at 11:55pm

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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post #159 of 235
4/8/09 at 10:23am

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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post #160 of 235
4/8/09 at 2:28pm

Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

Quote:
The Royale

Really?
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post #161 of 235
4/8/09 at 2:43pm

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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post #162 of 235
4/8/09 at 3:03pm

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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post #163 of 235
4/8/09 at 4:54pm

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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post #164 of 235
4/9/09 at 10:20am

Re: Star Trek The Next Generation appreciation thread

can som1 remind me what the royale was about again?
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post #165 of 235
4/9/09 at 12:16pm

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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post #166 of 235
4/9/09 at 2:36pm

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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post #167 of 235
4/9/09 at 4:49pm

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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post #168 of 235
4/9/09 at 7:58pm

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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post #169 of 235
4/9/09 at 8:35pm

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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post #170 of 235
4/9/09 at 9:50pm

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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post #171 of 235
4/10/09 at 11:41am

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.
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post #172 of 235
12/13/09 at 10:32pm
Just watched "Home Soil" from season 1.  I'd forgotten what a fantastic episode this is.  
Great acting, utterly riveting story, and the strong sense of wonder put this at the top of the list for TNG episodes(of the first few seasons).
Also, big, big props to Mike Okuda for doing such a great job on the scenic art in this one.
Episodes like this make me proud to own the series on dvd, and even justifies the clunky episodes.
Edited by Bryan^H - 12/14/09 at 11:00am
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post #173 of 235
12/14/09 at 6:59am
I will eventually get around to watching the entire run of TNG again some day.  We finished it not too long ago, and loved it.  As I think I mentioned in some thread, TNG Season One was the very first DVD (the boxed set) I ever purchased.

Yeah, Home Soil is a wonderful episode.  I still get some chills watching the segment where Data enters the room and has to 'face' the robotics:

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post #174 of 235
12/14/09 at 8:18am
Thread Starter 
Hey guys! Nice to see this thread still has some life. I've been watching a few episodes recently in the 3rd, 4th and 5th seasons.

I always liked Home Soil, though it was kind of rough in its execution. It's very TOS-like in that they realize that there is a life form and they do solve the problem without retaliation. I liked the lines, "Mostly bags of water". But it was also kind of a rough line! Lacking in refinement. But probably kind of appropriate since the alien doesn't speak English!
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post #175 of 235
12/14/09 at 10:10am
^^^

Nelson,

You're being too kind.  I think it's "Ugly bags of mostly water."

:)
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post #176 of 235
12/14/09 at 10:46am
Thread Starter 
  You're right, I didn't recall the exact line.
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post #177 of 235
12/14/09 at 10:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ockeghem View Post

^^^

Nelson,

You're being too kind.  I think it's "Ugly bags of mostly water."

:)
I think the computer had a hard time translating the microbrain dialect.
But I agree, that line could have been rewritten for better effect.
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post #178 of 235
12/14/09 at 7:47pm
Nelson, Bryan,

I remembered that line because in college a few friends of mine and I used to kid each other with it every so often.  Good times, good times. ;)

I watched an episode of VOY tonight (Flashback), but I should probably be in the appropriate thread to discuss that one.
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post #179 of 235
12/15/09 at 9:26am
I do miss this show. Going to rewatch all seven seasons beginning in the new year.

We all have our personal preferences for shows in the franchise, but I think the early years of this show were the closest to Gene Roddenberry's idea of what he wanted the future to look and feel like.
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post #180 of 235
12/15/09 at 11:00am
^^^

I wouldn't disagree with any of that. :)  And I love just about all of Trek.
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