New TNG

[USS Intrepid]

You said, and I quote.

"I'd cast an actor with hair. While Picard is a wonderful actor; his hairline doesn't really say "future" to me."

That's a personal objection on aesthetic terms, and it's one you're certainly entitled to. Going on from that, however, you appear to contradict yourself, at one point stating that Picard still has some hair to support your assertion that he doesn't choose to be bald (I'd suggest, personally, that rather than choose to do something about his baldness, he chooses not to as it is not an issue for him).

He wasn't bald, he still had hairs on the sides of his head.

And then later saying, to support your assertion that it does bother him (caring about his personal grooming does not mean that being bald is a point of contention for him).

Since he does shave the remaining hairs, he either does care about how he looks and obviously does not like getting bald (or he would not hide it as would almost any other man -- a regressing hair line often looks shitty), or his hairline doesn't matter since he shaved it before he became bald.

And I find this comment decidedly telling.

a regressing hair line often looks shitty

I don't see any argument from you that amounts to anything more complex than your personal aesthetic preferences, and while there's nothing wrong with that per se, I find it fairly amusing that you feel the need to try and make out it's deeper than that.

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

That's a personal objection on aesthetic terms, and it's one you're certainly entitled to.

That's true. However, I do think I've explained why I believe people in the future shouldn't be bald -- after all, they use the dermal regenerators and such; if they wouldn't care about their looks at all, small scars would come with the business, and would not be removed by default. So why remove things like small scars, or dye hair (which we've seen also), but not do anything about baldness? It falls under the same category to me.

He wasn't bald, he still had hairs on the sides of his head.

And then later saying, to support your assertion that it does bother him (caring about his personal grooming does not mean that being bald is a point of contention for him).

Since he does shave the remaining hairs, he either does care about how he looks and obviously does not like getting bald (or he would not hide it as would almost any other man -- a regressing hair line often looks shitty), or his hairline doesn't matter since he shaved it before he became bald.

And I find this comment decidedly telling.

How so? This point has no basis in preference whatsoever; both points do not exclude each other. One can shave the remaining hairs on his head and still have them since shaving only makes them very short, not invisible. I'd imagine people who really wanted to be bald in the future would remove the hair follicles, as it's done in a few seconds. And they can be regrown in a few seconds, as well.

Oh, well. I still believe people in Star Trek should have hair. Let's just say it's my opinion, and leave it at that.

 

[USS Intrepid]

How so? This point has no basis in preference whatsoever; both points do not exclude each other. One can shave the remaining hairs on his head and still have them since shaving only makes them very short, not invisible. I'd imagine people who really wanted to be bald in the future would remove the hair follicles, as it's done in a few seconds. And they can be regrown in a few seconds, as well.

Oh, well. I still believe people in Star Trek should have hair. Let's just say it's my opinion, and leave it at that.

Actually I was referring to the comment below as telling, but I see how you could have mistakenly believed otherwise.

a regressing hair line often looks shitty

The point being, much of your objection is based on your own aesthetic preference.

Oh, well. I still believe people in Star Trek should have hair. Let's just say it's my opinion, and leave it at that.

And as I already said, you are of course, entitled to that opinion.

 

[Cheapjack]

We could have a Picard who grows it long, and then combs it over the top of his head.

It could come loose planet-side, and float along in the wind.

 

[JewelsNeeJulian]

Picard: Probably make hima bit more grizzled after getting the Stargazer Shot out from under him, but also make him more of a hard-ass while thoughtful. But then make him try a bit of diplomacy first. Failing that, make him more protective of his crew. He's going to be kinda twitchy after stargazer.

Riker: Have him come in with the beard. Bright, confident, ready to go. Then he sees Troi, and his face falls, "Oh hell, not again." A interesting twist could be that the relationship did not end on a very good, but not horrible, note. The possibility of repair is there, but awkward moments would be nice

Data: *sigh* okay, I'm going to state that I always found Data annoying in the Series, because for someone without emotion, he sure showed a lot. But I digress. If we must have him back, he should out-vulcan Vulcans in showing no affect, reciting facts dryly and without the slightest hint of irony or empathy. play up the creepiness a bit in him. But then have him do something that is cool or seems to show compassion when warrented. Essentially, make him a puzzle for the rest of the crew witha question on which way he could develop.

Geordi: Make Geordi a competent technician with a talent of fixing things on the fly, or just a really good memory. Lose the haircomb on the face. Give him natural eyes until a certain point when he reveals they are cybernetic (designed to look natural).

Worf: Play him as actually the Old School Klingon. Crafty, intelligent, and cunning, while still capable of Great Violence. Put him as tactical officer.

Yar: Play her as highly competent, sneaky, and possibly a bit paranoid (good security officers tend towards this). Worf maight be of possible interest to her, but she might als have reservations about dating a fellow officer...particularly one under her.

Dr. Crusher: Beverly transferred to Enterprise (under mild protest), as both have rather painful memories of Jack's death. Being stuck there, she decides to try to get on with her job and be professional as possible. But the memories remain.

Troi: Psychologists for a long term exploration have been around for sometime, and the Betazed, while having the natural talent for empathy, also have the rather socially unpleasant aspect of scanning without permission (given there society, unsuprising). And having a psychologist who KNOW's you are lying isn't going to endear them to many who prefer to talk out thier problems. Or are just private. And so I could see Betazed's in Starfleet having to take a Oath of Privacy (promise not to scan, and keep mental sheilds up) before being commisoned. Not that some will believe it. which makes ones job more interesting.
To make things more Awkward, have the strangeness between her and Riker from be the result of an accidental scan which she took entirely the wrong way. And will have a very hard time being convinced otherwise...

Wesley: Firstly, have him be bright with an apptitude for physics, but not a complete schmuck. Start him off helping out one of the crewmen as an apprentice, learning the ropes out of curiosity, doing the work, but occasionally showing small adjustments he makes that cause a system to work better. Importantly, have him show his ideas to his superiors, who recognize a Talent when they see it and fast-track his training. Which causes a lot of pressure on poor Wesley as he suddenly realizes the level of work involved to become a Top Drawer Tech (possibly Warrent Officer). Perhapsa estranged girlfriend asa result of his commitments?

 

[xortex]

I think this is the best idea yet. Obviously with a new team, you'ld get different aesthetics artistically and a new approach. It's a space opera like forbidden planet which would have made a good episode. It has to be treated seriously. Plot/concept oriented, none of this he said she said mind twist convolutions. Have a transporter pads on the bridge, some fiberglass and you got it. Don't say where or when it is and have Q as a main character.

 

[Cheapjack]

I love the way you've all gone in and just changed the thing beyond recognition! Well, I don't really.

What about the PHILOSPOPHY? How will humans have changed in the next 400 years? How can we add to what Roddenberry thought?

All this talk about characters. Who fancies whom, and who's fallen out with whom, cos they wouldn't give them any sweeties! Star Trek is about big, important, professional people doing big things.

 

[Cheapjack]

Actually, some of the ideas here don't seem so bad. GR originally wanted a grizzled Captain, I have read. I think if they reimagine TNG, and I hope they don't, they should take Encounter as a start point and take a leap on the vector that indicated- stories about philosophy and evolution, but with a bit more action than Encounter. I would hope they don't reimagine Picard as having been a car-thief, drug-dealer or user, or loan shark in his youth.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I don't see any argument from you that amounts to anything more complex than your personal aesthetic preferences...

And youth.

Interestingly, "bald" does and has said "futuristic" to a lot of artists over the centuries. There's this whole unexamined equation of hairiness with atavism and barbarism that runs through a lot of Western civilization over time - today, most men spend a quite a lot of money grooming themselves by removing hair from their faces, at least, and wear their hair much more close-cropped than even a few decades ago.

 

[DevilEyes]

I don't get people who think that baldness is not "futuristic" or ask whether they should havea cure for baldness. The real question is: why should they want to cure it?? Maybe they simply don't see it as illness - which it isn't, anyway. Do people die of baldness? Does it affect their capabilities in any way? Obviously, it is not an illness. Maybe they have means to stop baldness, but some men simply prefer to be bald? Some men with a full head of hair choose to shave their heads, because they think they look better that way, or because they like it that way and think it's cool - so why shoulkd it be any differen for balding men? It is an aesthetical choice, no different than whether one wants to wear short or long hair, whether one wants to dye their hair or leave it the natural color, or whether a man decides to wear facial hair or be clean-shaven.

In a way, the idea that nobody should be bald in the future is very disturbing, since it reeks of the ideas that everyone should conform to the same standards of beauty, and of visions of a future is which everyone looks like the cast of Starship Troopers.

 

[DevilEyes]

Picard was supposed to be about 60 years old in TNG S1, so a guy in his late 40s at least should play Picard.

Really? Where did you hear that? Sounds strange since Patrick Stewart was in his late 40s when the show started and only hit 60 around the time of "Star Trek: Nemesis"!

I was surprised to read that, too, but Memory Alpha says Picard is supposed to be born in 2305, according to info from "Conundrum" (I have to say I don't remember when that was mentioned.) http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Jean-Luc_Picard

From our POV, Picard did not look 60 and a 60-something captain would be seen as older, but maybe it is different in the 24th century? After all, McCoy did live to at the age of at least 137. We know that human lifespan has changed due to the improvements in medicine and life conditions, and that this together with fitness and skin care products, makes people fitter and younger-looking for a longer time. Maybe in the 24th century being 60 year old is not that different than being 45 year old in the 20th century?

 

[Freman]

I think everyone on the nuTNG should be bald.

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

I think everyone on the nuTNG should be naked.

 

[Peter the Younger]

I think everyone on the nuTNG should be naked.

And instead of a counselor, they should have a Ship's Love Instructor.

It's what Gene intended!

 

[johnsonalmighty]

Well the biggest problem for Nu-TNG is the Enterprise herself. The Current one from the new movie looks more advanced than the Ent-D. Not to mention I never liked the galaxy class design.

 

[JewelsNeeJulian]

I love the way you've all gone in and just changed the thing beyond recognition! Well, I don't really.

What about the PHILOSPOPHY? How will humans have changed in the next 400 years? How can we add to what Roddenberry thought?

All this talk about characters. Who fancies whom, and who's fallen out with whom, cos they wouldn't give them any sweeties! Star Trek is about big, important, professional people doing big things.

exactly what did I denote that invalidates what you have stated? The TNG are all professionals. I've just put a new spin on them. Gibson knows I don't want to into NuBSG territory. the characters can be optimistic about things, but stince I was going for the more interpersonal drama, bit I thought I'd spice things a bit. Perfect People are Boring As Hell.

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

I think everyone on the nuTNG should be naked.

And instead of a counselor, they should have a Ship's Love Instructor.

It's what Gene intended!

Exactly.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

What about the PHILOSPOPHY [sic]? How will humans have changed in the next 400 years?

No one has any idea, and not one human being in ten million has any interest at all in watching a TV show to see what some television writers and producers think that human beings might "evolve" into. If you think that this superficial "big thought" foolishness was ever the basis of Star Trek's broad popularity you're sadly mistaken.

 

[xortex]

It's all in the execution from every department.

 

[Pemmer Harge]

There should be no Holodeck episodes. They're supposed to be exploring the wonders of the universe and visiting strange new worlds, so they do not need to have silly adventures in imaginary places as well!
Also, I'd try to eliminate technobabble solutions as much as possible. They can work (e.g. the Deep Space Nine episode Civil Defense, where they have to put themselves in danger in order to implement the technobabble solution), but too often it's just a deus ex machina.
And let's not have so many spatial anomalies. If it's a really good idea (e.g. Parallels) it's OK.