If you liked Voyager, you're almost certain to like seasons 3 - 6 of TNG. It's basically Voyager but more consistently high quality.
DS9 stands alone as a great show but there's quite a lot of callbacks to events and characters from TNG and TOS.
Does it get better?
- Thread starter StarLord
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If you liked Voyager, you're almost certain to like seasons 3 - 6 of TNG. It's basically Voyager but more consistently high quality.
DS9 stands alone as a great show but there's quite a lot of callbacks to events and characters from TNG and TOS.
Great bait, mate. Not taking it, though.
Voyager is more generally action packed than TNG, though. Now I love TNG, all of it, but I would be hard pressed to say it really raises the blood pressure much. It's a more intellectual Star Trek. Voyager veered between that and a more seat-of-the-pants Trek. 
Even a big 'action episode' like The Best Of Both Worlds, well, it's more conceptually action packed. It's infered. The meat of that episode is Riker's dilemma, even the big set piece battle scenes take place off screen, we only see the aftermath. And in some ways, that makes it more palpable.
Even a big 'action episode' like The Best Of Both Worlds, well, it's more conceptually action packed. It's infered. The meat of that episode is Riker's dilemma, even the big set piece battle scenes take place off screen, we only see the aftermath. And in some ways, that makes it more palpable.
If you want to skip TNG because it's not your cup of tea that's fine but please don't make the mistake of judging it based on season 1, even many TNG lovers like myself aren't huge fans of early TNG.
Here's a super abbreviated episode guide for seasons 1 and 2:
Season 1
Encounter at Farpoint
Datalore
Skin of Evil
The Neutral Zone (for the B plot only)
Season 2
The Measure of a Man
Contagion
Q Who
The Emissary
Peak Performance
Then start season 3, if you're not convinced by the halway point of that season it's really not for you.
Not everything is bait. I truly think your statement is excrement.Great bait, mate. Not taking it, though.
To the OP, watch them all. If you want the full TNG experience, watch them all.
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DS9 has a pretty slow first season as well, but it sets up a lot of important arc for the first three seasons so can't easily be skipped.
Not everything is bait. I truly think you're statement is excrement.
To the OP, watch them all. If you want the full TNG experience, watch them all.
Be nice. Reality is subjective.
1) (This is just an opinion: ) It took some time for TNG to 'invent' itself. When it started, all it had to build on was TOS (and perhaps TAS) (and Rodenberry still had significant influence with rules such as there should be no conflict between main characters). Some people don't like those early seasons as much, though it still has some great episodes.
2) When watching it, remember that this show is over 30 years old now. It was created in another era, when shows were slower-paced, generally. Voyager and DS9 are only a few years younger, but sufficiently so that the 'standard' pace had begun to pick up a bit by then.
3) On top of that, TNG is more of a cerebral show, with long deliberations, than an action show. You might like that, or you mightn't .
2) When watching it, remember that this show is over 30 years old now. It was created in another era, when shows were slower-paced, generally. Voyager and DS9 are only a few years younger, but sufficiently so that the 'standard' pace had begun to pick up a bit by then.
3) On top of that, TNG is more of a cerebral show, with long deliberations, than an action show. You might like that, or you mightn't .
You could start with Season 3, but I’d recommend watching it all with the awareness that it does get better over time.
Does TNG get any better than "A Matter of Honor" or "Q Who"? No.
Does TNG get more consistent? That's debatable.
Season 3 onwards has its share of competent-but-dull episodes, such as "The Ensigns of Command", "The Bonding" or "Transfigurations" that some prefer to the guilty pleasures of seasons 1-2.
There are some excellent scripts in seasons 6-7 but the music and Patrick Stewart seem so tired, I get more pleasure out the first 5 seasons.
Every fan has their own preference of what the show should be but the fact is TNG was a consistently good show for most of it's run.
Does TNG get more consistent? That's debatable.
Season 3 onwards has its share of competent-but-dull episodes, such as "The Ensigns of Command", "The Bonding" or "Transfigurations" that some prefer to the guilty pleasures of seasons 1-2.
There are some excellent scripts in seasons 6-7 but the music and Patrick Stewart seem so tired, I get more pleasure out the first 5 seasons.
Every fan has their own preference of what the show should be but the fact is TNG was a consistently good show for most of it's run.
In season 1 and 2, Roddenberry still had a major say in the direction of the show. That is why you get all the sex storylines....Data nailing Yar, Riker hooking up with leaders of other planets, Riker getting it on with holodeck characters, the female crew members just waiting to hop into bed with Okona, other guest stars coming on board and having no shame when hitting on Troi in front of everyone else, etc. It really can be cringe worthy at times and certainly embarrassing. There are still some story lines like that in the other seasons (i.e The Price, The Host, Man of the People), but at least these shows have other redeeming qualities.
The dialogue on some of the episodes is so bad that it makes the episode nearly unwatchable. Datalore must have the absolute dialogue of any Star Trek episode ever.
The entire Wesley arc also ruins the first 2 seasons of TNG for me. Letting a 13 year old boy on the bridge is ridiculous. Could you imagine the lack of respect a new captain would have from his crew if he pulled a stunt like that? This would have been a conversation Picard would have with an officer of Starfleet as to why he/she wasn't allowed to take a regular bridge shift, "I know you graduated from the academy, spent years serving on other vessels, your service record has been exemplary, and you finally got assigned to the flagship of Starfleet, but I have instead decided to make a 13 year old boy a member of the bridge crew. By the way, I'm also trying to get lucky with his mom."
How many times can a 13 year old boy save the ship from disaster? The Naked Now, Where No One Has Gone Before, The Big Goodbye, and Datalore to name a few from the first 12 episodes.
It also seems like the flagship of Starfleet would also want a crew that had more experience than the ones assigned.
Some of the scripts were super boring, completely unbelievable, and crass. When the Bough Breaks is horrible. A planet abducts 6 children to build their future population?
Episodes like Home Soil, The Arsenal of Freedom, Haven, Lonely Among Us, etc., are just boring.
That isn't to say I hate season 1, because it does have nice moments in it even if most of the episodes are not very interesting.
The dialogue on some of the episodes is so bad that it makes the episode nearly unwatchable. Datalore must have the absolute dialogue of any Star Trek episode ever.
The entire Wesley arc also ruins the first 2 seasons of TNG for me. Letting a 13 year old boy on the bridge is ridiculous. Could you imagine the lack of respect a new captain would have from his crew if he pulled a stunt like that? This would have been a conversation Picard would have with an officer of Starfleet as to why he/she wasn't allowed to take a regular bridge shift, "I know you graduated from the academy, spent years serving on other vessels, your service record has been exemplary, and you finally got assigned to the flagship of Starfleet, but I have instead decided to make a 13 year old boy a member of the bridge crew. By the way, I'm also trying to get lucky with his mom."
How many times can a 13 year old boy save the ship from disaster? The Naked Now, Where No One Has Gone Before, The Big Goodbye, and Datalore to name a few from the first 12 episodes.
It also seems like the flagship of Starfleet would also want a crew that had more experience than the ones assigned.
Some of the scripts were super boring, completely unbelievable, and crass. When the Bough Breaks is horrible. A planet abducts 6 children to build their future population?
Episodes like Home Soil, The Arsenal of Freedom, Haven, Lonely Among Us, etc., are just boring.
That isn't to say I hate season 1, because it does have nice moments in it even if most of the episodes are not very interesting.
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^I agree that Wesley was misused in the beginning but his character was downplayed and better written by the end of the first season. I liked his presence on the show and felt it added to the family of characters. He was mentored by the other characters and he was a mentor at times to Data, who was also a childlike character. Wesley makes the first 3 seasons better for me.
There was a void on the bridge when he left. Data needed someone to talk to.
There was a void on the bridge when he left. Data needed someone to talk to.
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Had Wesley been used simply as a supporting character, much like Jake was on DS9, he would have been passable. Making him some wonder-child was just an awful decision on the part of the creator and writers. After season 1, they did move back from his character. The Dauphin, which is not one of my favorite episodes, at least didn't make him out like he was saving the ship. Pen Pals was inexcusable...putting a 14 or 15 year old boy in charge of some project...like that would happen in a military organization. But then he kind of saves the day in Peak Performance too.
The only episodes I really like him in are The Bonding and The First Duty (easily the best Wesley episode.). Trek doesn't get much better than The First Duty.
The only episodes I really like him in are The Bonding and The First Duty (easily the best Wesley episode.). Trek doesn't get much better than The First Duty.
Well they were grooming him by "Pen Pals" and he was guided by Riker and Troi, so it didn't seem unrealistic to me. He had proven himself as a level headed junior officer.
I agree that The First Duty is topnotch character drama, and one of Wil Wheaton's best performances.
I agree that The First Duty is topnotch character drama, and one of Wil Wheaton's best performances.
Agreed but one absolutist proclamation deserves another.
I understand the point of Pen Pals, but I would have preferred had the writers just dumped the entire "most gifted person" in the universe arc and made him a normal person. Journey's End just made the character even more unlikeable than he had been. Why not just make him into a normal person that ends up with a normal existence at the end? Not everyone that has high potential in life turns out to go to a different plane of existence. Sometimes people fail to live up to their potential. That is part of the reason I think The First Duty is such a great episode. Not because Wesley and Locarno failed, but because they were portrayed as real people making a mistake and then having to live with the consequences of those decisions. Other Wesley episodes don't even try to portray him as a real person, just some superhuman kid who is better and smarter than anyone else; he comes off smug, arrogant, and haughty. Had the writers created episodes where Wesley was talented but not infallible, it would have made the show much better. In fact, a big part of why the early seasons sucked is because of the way the writers oftentimes interjected "superhuman" Wesley Crusher into the story. Once he became just a secondary character, the show became much better.
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That's why I personally prefer Jake from DS9 compared to Wesley.
This is a good take on it. TNG certainly isn't for everyone, but follow this advice and see how you take to it.
Starting at the beginning of season 3 would be probably the best way to go.
Although, there are few episodes you might want to watch before season 3.
Season 1
You already watched 'Encounter at Farpoint', right?
'Where No One Has Gone Before', not a great one but a character from this episode will visit couple of times.
Season 2
'The Measure of a Man' is simply great.
'Q Who' is a must watch. It starts a plotline that continues later.
'The Emissary', while not a favourite of mine it has something to do with Worf's future on the show.
'Elementary, Dear Data' will be discussed later.
Although, there are few episodes you might want to watch before season 3.
Season 1
You already watched 'Encounter at Farpoint', right?
'Where No One Has Gone Before', not a great one but a character from this episode will visit couple of times.
Season 2
'The Measure of a Man' is simply great.
'Q Who' is a must watch. It starts a plotline that continues later.
'The Emissary', while not a favourite of mine it has something to do with Worf's future on the show.
'Elementary, Dear Data' will be discussed later.
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Oh, I forgot, before going into DS9, that series starts with a scene that could be straight from TNG so don't skip TNG.
