Part of the problem with the TNG movies is the characters are kept in stasis

[Lance]

The entire command crew, or at the very least Picard, should have been given court martials over the loss of the Enterprise-D. And even if they were exonerated, there'd be no way they'd all be serving on the same ship again, much less the new flagship of the Federation.

Even in-universe. "The Measure of a Man" gives us several details about Picard's court-martial over the loss of Stargazer, with no promise he wouldn't have been booted out of the fleet if he hadn't been sleeping with the court prosecutor! In my head canon I like to think it's the main reason there's such a large gap between Stargazer and his being given command of Enterprise: he may have survived the court-martial by the skin of his teeth, but Starfleet still sent him away to 'cool off' for a while before eventually giving him another command (he was, after all, like Kirk such a noted captain they named a piloting maneuver after him, so it's likely his spell in the wilderness was a suitable punishment for him).

It seems therefore doubly unlikely there wouldn't have been at least some disciplinary action on the destruction of Enterprise, and unless the crew lied through their teeth and doctored official records etc for the court-martial I'd have at the very least expected Riker (as officer in command) to be kicked in the pants. I'd nominate Geordi for a certain amount of incompetence too.

 

[Unionized Elf]

In my head canon I like to think it's the main reason there's such a large gap between Stargazer and his being given command of Enterprise: he may have survived the court-martial by the skin of his teeth, but Starfleet still sent him away to 'cool off' for a while before eventually giving him another command (he was, after all, like Kirk such a noted captain they named a piloting maneuver after him, so it's likely his spell in the wilderness was a suitable punishment for him).

In the novels, Picard was restricted to Administrative Duties during the decade between the loss of the Stargazer and getting command of the Enterprise D. Which should be what happened to him and Riker after the loss of the Enterprise D but instead they both get assigned CO and XO of a brand new state of the art ship a year later.

 

[Lance]

In the novels, Picard was restricted to Administrative Duties during the decade between the loss of the Stargazer and getting command of the Enterprise D. Which should be what happened to him and Riker after the loss of the Enterprise D but instead they both get assigned CO and XO of a brand new state of the art ship a year later.

I can understand some members of the crew transitioning to the replacement ship, but not all of them

 

[JonnyQuest037]

And as for the hardcore Trek fans (i.e. the ones who were actually watching the shows), this wouldn't be the first time that the producers insulted their intelligence. Remember how Starfleet Academy was destroyed in DS9 but was completely intact a year later in VOY?

Since I wasn't watching VOY by that point, no. Which is my entire point. Not every Trek fan watches every single thing.

They go where Starfleet tells them to go.

Since Riker had turned down three promotions to Captain by that point, apparently not.

Wasn't a problem for the TOS movies which had Chekov assigned to another ship for most of TWOK, Spock dead for most of TSFS, and the characters serving on a captured Klingon ship in TVH.

Yes, but the TOS movies were both much better written than the TNG movies, and they had the added advantage of not having to jibe with one or two currently-running television series.

 

[Paul755]

Part of the problem is nobody really knows how crew rotations work in Starfleet. We always see/hear of new junior officers joining the ship. But command crew/senior staff doesn’t seem to work that way.

Starfleet apparently won’t force Captains to lose their senior staff unless that officer wants to leave, like Crusher and Pulaski before and after S2. Out of loyalty or lack of ambition Picard’s crew just didn’t want to leave after a certain point

As for Picard getting another ship...another Enterprise so quickly. Just figured, he had built up enough goodwill with command that they gave it to him.Besides, technically he wasn’t in command of the E-D when it was destroyed. Riker was.

 

[Unionized Elf]

Since Riker had turned down three promotions to Captain by that point, apparently not.

Bit of a different situation. When Riker was offered the three commands, it was during peace time and that was just a matter of being offered an opportunity for career advancement, which he turned down. Starfleet's attitude was "fine, we have plenty of other XOs chomping at the bit to become Captains" and offered one of them the job, which they took. Though really, after TBOBW Starfleet should have forced Riker to keep his promotion to captain even if it meant he'd be commanding a ship other than the Enterprise. Though I imagine being the guy who just saved the Federation Starfleet likely felt inclined to grant any favour he asked. Still, once the Dominion War started, he should have been among those promoted to command right at the outbreak of the war.

Besides, technically he wasn’t in command of the E-D when it was destroyed. Riker was.

That's really not how it works. Picard is still the ship's Captain, he's still responsible for what happens to the ship regardless if he's aboard or not. The situation of him being off the ship and Riker being in command does not absolve him of responsibility, it just means Riker also faces penalties.

Where I work, a manager is still responsible for their department even when they are on vacation. And yes, managers can get demoted or even fired over what goes on in the department while they are on vacation.

 

[Lance]

That's really not how it works. Picard is still the ship's Captain, he's still responsible for what happens to the ship regardless if he's aboard or not. The situation of him being off the ship and Riker being in command does not absolve him of responsibility, it just means Riker also faces penalties.

Where I work, a manager is still responsible for their department even when they are on vacation. And yes, managers can get demoted or even fired over what goes on in the department while they are on vacation.

Exactly. Riker's role in the destruction of the ship is absolutely on trial, but ultimately Picard made the choice to leave the ship in his hands.

I've often thought, somewhere there was an off-screen moment where Picard comes back, sees the Enterprise wreckage, and looks at Riker and, deadpan, says, "Number One, what have you done to my ship?"

 

[Unionized Elf]

Exactly. Riker's role in the destruction of the ship is absolutely on trial, but ultimately Picard made the choice to leave the ship in his hands.

I've often thought, somewhere there was an off-screen moment where Picard comes back, sees the Enterprise wreckage, and deadpan looks at Riker and says, "Number One, what have you done to my ship?"

Or Picard walks onto the wrecked bridge, and Riker notices him. "I can explain everything."

 

[Dukhat]

Since I wasn't watching VOY by that point, no. Which is my entire point. Not every Trek fan watches every single thing.

But you do know what I'm referring to, right?

 

[Paul755]

Bit of a different situation. When Riker was offered the three commands, it was during peace time and that was just a matter of being offered an opportunity for career advancement, which he turned down. Starfleet's attitude was "fine, we have plenty of other XOs chomping at the bit to become Captains" and offered one of them the job, which they took. Though really, after TBOBW Starfleet should have forced Riker to keep his promotion to captain even if it meant he'd be commanding a ship other than the Enterprise. Though I imagine being the guy who just saved the Federation Starfleet likely felt inclined to grant any favour he asked. Still, once the Dominion War started, he should have been among those promoted to command right at the outbreak of the war.

That's really not how it works. Picard is still the ship's Captain, he's still responsible for what happens to the ship regardless if he's aboard or not. The situation of him being off the ship and Riker being in command does not absolve him of responsibility, it just means Riker also faces penalties.

Where I work, a manager is still responsible for their department even when they are on vacation. And yes, managers can get demoted or even fired over what goes on in the department while they are on vacation.

Of course, just being a bit tongue in cheek there at the end. Obviously missed the mark.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

But you do know what I'm referring to, right?

Outside of the general idea of the two series not jibing with each other, not really, no.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

Or Picard walks onto the wrecked bridge, and Riker notices him. "I can explain everything."

To which the captain could've responded, "Will, you're grounded."

 

[Dukhat]

Outside of the general idea of the two series not jibing with each other, not really, no.

Spoiler

In DS9, the Starfleet Academy grounds (including the Golden Gate Bridge) were attacked and completely destroyed in a Dominion attack. Not long afterwards, a contemporaneous episode of VOY showed the Academy to be just fine and looking like it always looked. When asked about it, the VOY producers’ rationale was that they didn’t want viewers confused by showing a destroyed Academy because it happened in a different show that their audience might not have watched. While that could certainly be the case, my judgment was that they simply felt their audience were morons who were so stupid that they couldn’t figure out for themselves what had happened.

The thing is, the Dominion war was mentioned several times during the course of the latter seasons of VOY once they got back in contact with Starfleet. So it’s not like the two series were completely independent of each other.

Another instance of intelligence-insulting was that the producers of DS9 didn’t want to use the Enterprise-E model as another random ship for battle scenes because they felt the audience would think it was the Ent-E and would wonder why it was at the station instead of whatever movie it happened to be shown in at the time.

 

[Unionized Elf]

The repaired Starfleet Command, Academy, and Golden Gate Bridge didn't bother me too much. After all, Voyager frequently had the ship suffering severe damage that gets repaired a week later, like Deadlock for example. Or even Fury, where we learn back in the first season they were in a battle in which a good chunk of the hull was torn off. Anyway, if a lone ship stranded in the Delta Quadrant without access to a spacedock or repair facilities can turn itself back into pristine condition in only a week, then Starfleet Command located on Earth with access to the resources available to the entire Federation should have no problem getting repaired within six months.

When asked about it, the VOY producers’ rationale was that they didn’t want viewers confused by showing a destroyed Academy because it happened in a different show that their audience might not have watched.

Wow, they said that? Kind if ironic that the episode in question (Pathfinder, season 6) focuses primarily on two characters from another show.

Another instance of intelligence-insulting was that the producers of DS9 didn’t want to use the Enterprise-E model as another random ship for battle scenes because they felt the audience would think it was the Ent-E and would wonder why it was at the station instead of whatever movie it happened to be shown in at the time.

Actually, that was a directive from Paramount, who felt the Sovereign class should be reserved for movies only because no one will see the movies if the ship is on TV. Ira Behr really wanted a Sovereign class ship featured in the fleet in WYLB, but Paramount wouldn't budge on the issue.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

In DS9, the Starfleet Academy grounds (including the Golden Gate Bridge) were attacked and completely destroyed in a Dominion attack. Not long afterwards, a contemporaneous episode of VOY showed the Academy to be just fine and looking like it always looked. When asked about it, the VOY producers’ rationale was that they didn’t want viewers confused by showing a destroyed Academy because it happened in a different show that their audience might not have watched.

K. I don't really care, though. If I cared about VOY, I would've watched VOY.

 

[Dukhat]

K. I don't really care, though. If I cared about VOY, I would've watched VOY.

I’m just telling you what happened. I’m not telling you to care.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

I’m just telling you what happened. I’m not telling you to care.

Well, I never asked, and it was irrelevant to the point I was making, but... whatever.

 

[suarezguy]

One puzzling disappointment was why didn't the ninth and tenth films bring back the idea of romance between Picard and Crusher?

I get that Generations (aside from being too soon after "Attached") and FC were already busy/packed and with Insurrection Stewart wanted a romance-of-the-week but the movie probably would have been better without it and instead with a second renewed attraction among the crew. And then there *really* should have at least been a renewal by Nemesis especially with Riker and Troi getting married, Picard feeling particularly lonely and the movie being the last one with the cast. I guess maybe the last movie was instead implicitly saying that Picard missed his chance but that feels too disappointing and underwhelming.

 

[Smellmet]

One puzzling disappointment was why didn't the ninth and tenth films bring back the idea of romance between Picard and Crusher?

I get that Generations (aside from being too soon after "Attached") and FC were already busy/packed and with Insurrection Stewart wanted a romance-of-the-week but the movie probably would have been better without it and instead with a second renewed attraction among the crew. And then there *really* should have at least been a renewal by Nemesis especially with Riker and Troi getting married, Picard feeling particularly lonely and the movie being the last one with the cast. I guess maybe the last movie was instead implicitly saying that Picard missed his chance but that feels too disappointing and underwhelming.

I would have liked to have seen this. It would have been a welcome bit of character development for picard. As awesome as Picard was, his character didn't really advance much on this front did it?

 

[Discofan]

I really don't like that Data didn't evolve at all after his emotional chip thing. He basically just reverted to his own emotionless and humorless initial self. I guess B4 is what Data would have become in the next movie, had he followed the same progression and not died.