Defining the Series

[Cathara]

So, lately I've been reading up a bit on the differences between the various Trek incarnations and I was wondering what peoples views on it all are.

If you were to define the Star Trek series' with an emotion each, what would it be? Do you think each series has a different message to give, or perhaps just a different perspective on the same? How about themes?

 

[Warped9]

In a very general thumbnail sketch way:

TOS = enthusiasm
TNG = holier than thou
DS9 = pretentious
VOY = dumb and dumber
ENT = fannish

 

[Cathara]

Interesting, I admit I'm a TNG fan so I always viewed it as 'optimistic'. It does have a very strong message about how to do things, and seems to drum home the Federation-know-best idea.

How would you say Enterprise is fannish? It's my least watched series so I'm not so sure on it.

 

[C.E. Evans]

For me, I think of each series in different terms:

TOS: Where it all began
TNG: A new era
DS9: When a major first contact goes terribly wrong
VOY: Hey, Lost In Space just called--they want their premise back
ENT: Turning back the clock

 

[illeanacross]

TOS: Step-Father forcing me to watch when I could have been watching Captain Planet.
TNG: Some of the best two-parters ever on TV. If only Mary McDonnell was there and threw Riker out the airlock.
DS9: A big departure from regular Trek and a welcome change.
VOY: Apart from some very bad writing, I liked the premise, and thought Voyager had a lot of potential... it's just a shame it was never reached.
ENT: Apart from a few episodes, only the last season grabbed me.

Not really 'defining' I know.

 

[RyuRoots]

TOS: Crusty and poorly-aged even at its best, which is still lower than the best of all of the other shows.
TNG: Thoughtful
DS9: Innovative and exciting
VOY: Often frustrating due to waste of a very high amount of potential, but good overall.
ENT: No comment.

 

[RegFan]

TOS: Cheesy old adventure show.
TNG: Optimistic.
DS9: Much darker than TNG.
VOY: One alien of the week after another. Average. Very few memorable episodes.
ENT: The first two seasons could have easily been on Voyager, but they are better than any of the Voyager seasons. The third season is extremely serialized and dark. The fourth season makes good use of the prequel concept. In short, a show that changed a lot during its four seasons.

 

[You_Will_Fail]

Haven't seen TOS so forgive me

TNG- A benchmark for episodic sci-fi
DS9- The apex of trek's evolution so far
VOY- Lower your expectations and you'll learn to love it
ENT- A fresh look makes up for many shortcomings, overall good

 

[Temis the Vorta]

TOS = overwrought
TNG = holier than thou
DS9 = complex
VOY = simplistic
ENT = confused

 

[sonak]

Those dismissing TOS as "cheesy" should be aware that this is very much from a 2010 perspective, NOT from when the show was new, and you should try not judging stuff from a "generationally chauvinistic" perspective.


TOS : Classic and daring
TNG: Mature and poetic
DS9: Pessimistic, complex, moody
VOY: fast-paced yet slight
ENT: Immature, dull, flat

 

[RyuRoots]

Those dismissing TOS as "cheesy" should be aware that this is very much from a 2010 perspective, NOT from when the show was new, and you should try not judging stuff from a "generationally chauvinistic" perspective.

No one here said they dismissed TOS. The topic was made for describing each show in a few words, which is what everyone so far has done. That aside, the time perspective isn't really relevant to the thread. I'd also like to add that the insinuation of someone generally liking newer shows MUST simply be heavily biased to things of their generation...just because they're from their generation is insulting at best.

 

[Galileo7]

TOS = landmark
TAS = landmark for children
TNG = holier than thou and optimistic
DS9 = realistic and pessimistic
VOY = serious Lost In Space
ENT = unnecessary, expect the final season

 

[TheGodBen]

TOS: Yellow
TAS: Mustard
TNG: Blue
DS9: Brown
VOY: Beige
ENT: Silver

I hope this answers your question.

 

[Galileo7]

TOS: '60s
TAS: '70s
TNG: '80s to '90s
DS9: '90s
VOY:'90s to millennium's end
ENT: '00s

 

[Anwar]

TOS: Inconsistent, but entertaining

TNG: Intelligent, occasionally arrogant but justified.

DS9: Darker, fleshed out while remaining enjoyable and somewhat idealistic

VOY: Inconsistent again, but has my sympathies for its forced problems, and displayed hope and optimism

ENT: Entertaining, had it rough from everyone but endured, some sadness for not being allowed completion.

 

[6079SmithW]

TOS: manifest destiny
TNG: pax romana
DS9: space soap opera
VOY: TNG remake with a twist
ENT: TNG prequel

 

[Cicero]

With an emotion:

• TOS: Daring
• TNG: Confidence
• DS9: Cynicism (that might be colored by BSG)
• VOY: Love
• ENT: Anger (xenophobia, hatred for the Vulcans, animosity between nearly all major species, the Xindi conflict, Archer's frequent anger, etc.)

 

[Too Much Fun]

"Star Trek": Light, fun, occasionally moving.

"The Animated Adventures of Gene Rodenberry's Star Trek": Cute, nostalgic.

"Star Trek: The Next Generation": Thoughtful, heartfelt.

"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine": Overambitious, but at its best, unparalleled in its elegance.

"Star Trek: Voyager": Boring.

"Star Trek: Enterprise": Competent...sometimes, but very rarely capable of greatness.

 

[sonak]

Those dismissing TOS as "cheesy" should be aware that this is very much from a 2010 perspective, NOT from when the show was new, and you should try not judging stuff from a "generationally chauvinistic" perspective.

No one here said they dismissed TOS. The topic was made for describing each show in a few words, which is what everyone so far has done. That aside, the time perspective isn't really relevant to the thread. I'd also like to add that the insinuation of someone generally liking newer shows MUST simply be heavily biased to things of their generation...just because they're from their generation is insulting at best.

Maybe you should go back and read some of the earlier posts:


"a cheesy OLD adventure show"
"crusty and POORLY-AGED"


their words, not mine, bringing in the time element-I can only assume they were referring to the effects, and "look" of the show, as well as some '60s attitudes that creep in. So, basically LIKE I WROTE, that's judging the show from the standards of today, not from the time when it was on, when it was a ground-breaking, daring, quality sci-fi show.

There's a lot of quality early television and film sci-fi that's going to get dismissed with attitudes like the ones expressed above .

 

[Ghrakh]

TOS: Pioneering
TNG: Resolute
DS9: Dramatic
VOY: Metro
ENT: Edgy