I like those ideas. Though, some of the examples you gave in the first paragraph wouldn't necessarily have to be specific to the TNG era. You could have a Thallonian in the background in a series set in the 25th or 26th century and it could still work.
This is the kind of crap that irked the hell out of me when I'd watch. And the hilarious/sad part is that the writers thought they were being clever and subtle and completely failing to the power of 10. About as subtle as an anvil in a cartoon. Horrible.
That reference was rather hamfisted I'll agree. Though it amused me his thought process was, "Humanity can't be perfected, screw it, I'm building robots."