-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
I'm watching 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' for the first time.
- Thread starter Blues1990
- Start date
- Status
CarpeDeezNutz
Member
There are some damn good episodes for sure, but "The Royale" was like a one off showing the lighter side of Star Trek TNG, Riker telling O'Brian he's down for the action, Data being Data and Worf with his one liners. I laughed my ass off with that Buck Strickland Cowboy character.
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
I don't care if Pulaski is basically just Lady McCoy. Pulaski on her worst day was far more enjoyable of a character than Dr. Crusher at her best. Both of the Crushers were just awful.
industrian
will gently cradle you as time slowly ticks away.
Having rewatched this episode earlier in the day, I couldn't help but laugh.
The chief of engineering spends ages only to deduce the solution is toShit, this is all he had to do.turn the computer on and off again?
This is a "cellphones in Seinfeld" thing. Back in the 1980s computers were a lot different.
Back then to restart/restore a mainframe computer would take a very long time and would generally be considered the worst possible option to take. You wouldn't even know if the fucking thing would still work once it was back online.
OneEightZero
aka ThreeOneFour
...I'd add The Battle and The Big Goodbye to that list.
ClivePwned
Member
Firstly, if you're going to watch TNG, you might as well watch the growing pains of the first two seasons. There are some pretty decent episodes in those first two episodes (i enjoy Conspiracy, Q Who, Measure of a Man), with a lot of dreck as filler, some of it almost unwatchable. But you get to see Tasha Yar, Intros for Lore and Q, Troi with an accent, beard-less Riker, how they fucked up the Ferengi right from the get-go and how they skirted around cool SF concepts that they later did properly.
I mean, there's plenty of awful stuff in Season 7 so if you're going to watch those, you might as well do the first two seasons. Except Shades of Gray- that's just awful.
I mean, there's plenty of awful stuff in Season 7 so if you're going to watch those, you might as well do the first two seasons. Except Shades of Gray- that's just awful.
At the very least, I'll go and check the episodes that people had recommended me to watch, but I'll be keeping my expectations low.
Speaking of which, one of my friends had sent me this image from one of the episodes from Season 7:
Hopefully, there is context to it.
At the very least, I'll go and check the episodes that people had recommended me to watch, but I'll be keeping my expectations low.
Speaking of which, one of my friends had sent me this image from one of the episodes from Season 7:
Hopefully, there is context to it.
Oh, there definitely is.
ClivePwned
Member
At the very least, I'll go and check the episodes that people had recommended me to watch, but I'll be keeping my expectations low.
Speaking of which, one of my friends had sent me this image from one of the episodes from Season 7:
Hopefully, there is context to it.
yes, it's an awful episode.
I have to say TNG does one thing well as you get older. When the show was first on, I was definitely on Team Troi. As I get older, I can occasionally appreciate where Team Crusher is coming from.
You used to hear a lot about the actors, particularly Gates McFadden who felt underused as a character lobbying writers to let her character do more
which is possibly why you have Troi taking a commander's exam, Crusher occasionally commanding the bridge, or that awful murder mystery that was written for Geordi and then revamped as a Crusher episode
was trapped in a small room that was flooding with sewer water and filled with rats
Langdon Alger
Banned
What? It's one of the better episodes.
ClivePwned
Member
yup. nope, yup, nope. I haven't watched season 7 in a while, but I don't remember likeing too many stories apart from the finale.
also, Sub Rosa may well be the very worst, non clip-show episode of TNG.
biggersmaller
Banned
Welcome to the series! It's fascinating reading someone's reaction to it without nostalgia to color it. Obviously Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner carry this show on their shoulders - with Stewart doing most the heavy lifting. Watching Picard deliver his verbal beat downs are a thing of beauty. Season 2 is really solid. I don't understand how people associate it with the shit that was season 1. You were right to skip it.
This is so true. Crusher was so, soooooo boring. In a cast full of soap opera level actors, McFadden is community theater tier. Pulaski had a great arc in regards to Data and was a often irrational but fun opponent to Picard.
A classic "not time travel but written like one" period episode. It's definitely in my top ten.
This is so true. Crusher was so, soooooo boring. In a cast full of soap opera level actors, McFadden is community theater tier. Pulaski had a great arc in regards to Data and was a often irrational but fun opponent to Picard.
A classic "not time travel but written like one" period episode. It's definitely in my top ten.
There are plenty of awful episodes in season 7. "Phantasms" isn't one of them.
biggersmaller
Banned
Season 7 had some real garbage eps, but also gad some real gems. Lower Decks is one of my favorites, and was a long time coming. Gambit was a good two parter (largely due to Stewart being in nearly every shot). I like Phantasms. Inheritance is enjoyable. Paralells is legit good.
Sub Rosa is the worst episode of any star trek series EVER. I've heard people defend Angel One, Force of Nature, Masks, and even *shudder* The Naked Now. Nobody. Nobody defends that pile of shit.
"The Pegasus" is also terrific. And "Preemptive Strike" for Ro closure.
Ro was so wasted. Epic character.
I wish I could watch this for the first time. The cast is so amazing.
DS9 doesn't even come close, Star Trek is about all adventures and going into the 'unknown'. DS9 ditches all that by having it take place in a stationary setting and putting too much emphasis on 'drama' (a nice word for BORING). Haven't watched Voyager or Enterprise, so can't speak for those.
TNG is Star Trek perfection.
DS9 doesn't even come close, Star Trek is about all adventures and going into the 'unknown'. DS9 ditches all that by having it take place in a stationary setting and putting too much emphasis on 'drama' (a nice word for BORING). Haven't watched Voyager or Enterprise, so can't speak for those.
TNG is Star Trek perfection.
You might like Voyager. It's basically DS9's polar opposite.
(But significantly worse written.)
I respect your viewpoint but I cannot agree with it, DS9 is GOAT Trek.
Cpt. Jellico was better.
Thanks. I'm enjoying what I'm watching so far, and it helps that I'm going in this blindly, so that I can forge my own opinions without outside interference. (Outside of the first season, which doesn't count.) Out of the cast, I love how different Riker is to Picard. Very bold, but reserved commander. It helps that he has a fantastic beard.
Kind of wish Data had kept his synthetic beard.
dead souls
Member
Yep. I enjoy DS9's cast of characters so much that I can even find something to enjoy about many of its weaker episodes. The best episodes of TNG are among the best Trek has ever done but there are so many bad episodes of it that weren't even worth watching the first time.
AzureSkies
Member
Season 7 had some really strong episodes surrounded by terrible filler.
a real shame.
a real shame.
industrian
will gently cradle you as time slowly ticks away.
Those two episodes are extremely good for so many reasons. Ronny Cox and David Warner were incredible guest stars. Patrick Stewart's performance was also great. This episode probably cemented the Cardassians status as the most "unique" alien race in Star Trek.
SolarMystic
Member
I agree. Skipping the first season is a good move on subsequent re watches.
Though Shades of Grey is absolutely a skip episode. Nothing happens that matters.
Season 1 is really not as bad as some people say. Yes, it's a rough start to the series, and parts of it are pretty cheesy, but it's rarely just outright terrible.
The scary thing to me is that if this series came out today in the internet age and the first few episodes were just mediocre, it probably never would have lasted to a second season. People are so quick to call things awful and impatient to let them gain a rhythm.
The scary thing to me is that if this series came out today in the internet age and the first few episodes were just mediocre, it probably never would have lasted to a second season. People are so quick to call things awful and impatient to let them gain a rhythm.
I couldn't agree with you less. And I can't help wondering if you watched past Season 3, as 4 is when it really starts to get going. It's far from boring, especially when the Dominion War starts heating up. And it's simply not true that they just stayed on the station all the time, especially during the later seasons.
SolarMystic
Member
It really is a shame, because most great series I watch have sub par first seasons. The cast finding a rhythm is so true. Season 1 of TNG, DS9 and Voyager were all pretty bad compared to the rest of the series.
industrian
will gently cradle you as time slowly ticks away.
DS9 only got good when it started copying Babylon 5.
Yeah, I said it.
Yeah, I said it.
disastermouse
Banned
Am I the only fan of Enterprise? The opening credit music was so hilariously bad that I never gave it a chance when it aired. Since discovering it, Phlox, Trip, Archer, and T'Pol have become some of my favorites. Jeffrey Combs also has a wonderful minor role as the Andorian Shran. I recognized him in DS9 as Weyoun but not as Brunt. Good character actor!
nintendork666
Member
I'm trying to get into Star Trek as well, but have decided to start with the original series on Netflix. I can see why this is such a cult classic, but many of the episodes thus far feel very 'samey'. I'm still on season one, but I'm hoping that seasons two and three spice things up a bit. Maybe I should've just jumped ahead to TNG or the Abrams films.
I liked I actually liked the show more before it went all Dominion. The Bajoran-focused episodes were really fascinating and something that Star Trek hadn't really explored before.
Don't jump 'ahead' to abrahms. They're fun movies but tonally fit nowhere in Star Trek TV series style. I recommend them eventually but you'll be able to appreciate why some dislike them once you get there.
The original series is fairly short, so if you've already gotten partway through one you may want to finish, but if you ever feel like stopping you can jump to the movies as the original series movies are at least MOSTLY entertaining. If you can stomach TOS you can handle TNG S1 no problem also. Not minding the camp makes it a lot more tolerable.
Frozenprince
Banned
At least watch Encounter at Farpoint. I watched it a week ago and was actually surprised at how much it felt like a pitch pilot. The budget is higher than anything the show manages to do for at least 4 seasons, the sets are great, the character stuff is good, it sets up Picard well, and the characters are all different slightly. Data actually has emotions, he's a pithy, sarcastic bastard, I like it a lot.
Wrath of Khan isn't just entertaining, it's a genuinely great movie based on its own merits without even being a star trek thing.
Wrath of Khan isn't just entertaining, it's a genuinely great movie based on its own merits without even being a star trek thing.
TheVampire
Banned
TNG was lacking space battles
biggersmaller
Banned
TNG was lacking space battles
Joke?
Also, Best of Both Worlds was excellent because although 11,000 died off screen in a battle - it was still intense as shit without showing it.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
You should have watched Season 1. It helps you appreciate the alter seasons more.
Yes, it is.
Yes, it is.
Yes, it is.
Yes, it is.
hobblygobbly
Member
There are some good episodes in S01 but yeah like all Star Trek shows the first season is very weak. You gotta watch it to see Riker transition from no beard to bearded Riker.
To be more serious though you definitely have to watch the first episode, Encounter at Farpoint, you need to watch all the episodes that feature Q in them (he appears in Encounter at Farpoint initially) in first season because you will be confused when he shows up in Season 2 and a very important thing he does. You also need to watch the last episode,The Neutral Zone. These two are imperative to watch. Also watch Conspiracy, Datalore and Hide and Q. There are episodes that have events that happen in first season that have an impact later and characters also reference things that happened in first season that you will miss. Skip no seasons, but if you really want to skip season 1 then at least watch the episodes I mentioned and others as well.
It is fine to watch TOS but it quite different to rest of Star Trek. If you want to jump into Star Trek, start with TNG and DS9, they are the best and pretty much resemble what Star Trek the overall popularity of the franchise. Get the bluray TNG (I heard it's even available on Netflix now). TNG will always have the best characters and cast IMO.
To be more serious though you definitely have to watch the first episode, Encounter at Farpoint, you need to watch all the episodes that feature Q in them (he appears in Encounter at Farpoint initially) in first season because you will be confused when he shows up in Season 2 and a very important thing he does. You also need to watch the last episode,The Neutral Zone. These two are imperative to watch. Also watch Conspiracy, Datalore and Hide and Q. There are episodes that have events that happen in first season that have an impact later and characters also reference things that happened in first season that you will miss. Skip no seasons, but if you really want to skip season 1 then at least watch the episodes I mentioned and others as well.
It is fine to watch TOS but it quite different to rest of Star Trek. If you want to jump into Star Trek, start with TNG and DS9, they are the best and pretty much resemble what Star Trek the overall popularity of the franchise. Get the bluray TNG (I heard it's even available on Netflix now). TNG will always have the best characters and cast IMO.
old manatee
Banned
OP is just going to skip right past one of Star Trek's S-tier sexual encounters.
Either way, watching Picard avoid war is more fun to me than watching this:Joke?
Also, Best of Both Worlds was excellent because although 11,000 died off screen in a battle - it was still intense as shit without showing it.
Poor Miranda Class. The cannon fodder of the Federation.
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
TOS is Trek at its best, but TNG is probably the more accessible show.
Wyndstryker
Member
Thats what happens when you get ships commanded by genuine redshirts.
- Status