Introducing your signicant other to TNG...

[TV's Frank]

Especially when your significant other is not much of a sci-fi fan? It's been 10 months for me and my girlfriend and during this time we've been able to share certain movies and shows that we each like, although there is not too much crossover, outside of Lost, The Simpsons and old A-Team episodes. She is willing to be introduced to some TNG and Trek in general and I am curious to know from the group here what your suggestions would be for best episodes in this situation.

In past relationships and in my former marriage, the women already had familiarity with TNG or some Trek and so adding TNG to the viewing agenda was not a big deal. To a person who has not seen any Star Trek outside of the latest Abrams film, it can seem daunting to dive into the series. And she is not looking to watch every episode, just those I would consider favorites or top quality. I have my own thoughts on what these would be, but certainly let me know any 5 or 10 suggestions you all might have!

EDIT - Damn it, that was supposed to read "significant" in the thread title!

 

[LOKAI of CHERON]

I can't help you with this, other than some TOS and the last movie I just can't get my wife into Star Trek at all. Of course, she has virtually no inetrest in Sci-Fi beyond Trek either! We love each other dearly, but from an entertainment standpoint, we certainly provide some credibility to the "opposites attract" adage!

 

[Angel4576]

Well in terms of Star Trek, I didn't have that problem, as the other half probably loves Trek more than I do!

However, I did have a fair task on my hands trying to convince her of the merits of Babylon 5. In the end I resorted to just telling her to STFU and sit down and watch it!

Worked though, she loved it.

 

[TV's Frank]

Well in terms of Star Trek, I didn't have that problem, as the other half probably loves Trek more than I do!

However, I did have a fair task on my hands trying to convince her of the merits of Babylon 5. In the end I resorted to just telling her to STFU and sit down and watch it!

Worked though, she loved it.

Hmmm, "STFU and sit down and watch it" is an option I hadn't considered...

 

[Doug Otte]

In 1989, I began dating my future (and current) wife. She had watched ST in the 70s and enjoyed it. I had her watch "The Measure of a Man," and she was hooked. We then watched seasons 3 to 7 together, and we even saw movies V, VI, and Generations in the theatre together. Since then, her interest has fallen away, and I now watch ST or TNG alone.

Doug

 

[Jakks]

I gave up trying to get my various girlfriends over the years into Trek...it's easier these days to banish her from the room instead.

 

[Gaith]

Google the EW 10 Best TNG Eps, try a few of those.. if they don't click, you might be poop out of luck.

 

[Finn]

One question- do you really need to?

I'm not even bothering with my fiancée. She would be bored by it.

 

[TV's Frank]

One question- do you really need to?

I'm not even bothering with my fiancée. She would be bored by it.

Not really, it's never been a necessity that the woman I'm with enjoy everything that I do... but seeing as it was my birthday, she mentioned that she would be willing to check out some episodes with me as a gift. And thus the thinking began...

I actually settled on Data's Day to start with... it's a solidly well-written 4th season episode featuring moments of humor and personal dramas, essentially re-introduces each character as seen through Data's eyes, in addition to a mystery to solve, tense stand-off with Romulans and a wedding.

 

[PianoWizzy]

That's a good episode to start. Wean her in, and find the emotional and personal episodes before you start getting into the cooler battle and drama episodes.

All I can think of right now is The Offspring. I'll think of more later, I just love that episode.

*thinking*

 

[Gaith]

Well, there's always "Q Who"... hard to be that for an intro to the TNG era...

 

[Gary7]

I wouldn't necessarily go with anybody's "Top 10" list. Anything with romance or good humor. That's the best way to elicit interest... or at least tolerance.

The "Q" episodes are good fun. Also, the one where Picard and bridge crew are turned into kids. Episodes like those. Pick about 10 and select what appears to you as a good order. Then go for it.


My girlfriend during the 2nd half of Season 3 had only seen TOS. I had kept my distance after some sour samplings of Season 1 and 2, so it was like we were discovering it together. We were both quite riveted at the end... what would happen to Captain Picard? Was Patrick Stewart tired of TNG and wanting to get out of it? Sadly, our romance ended with the finish of Season 6. But that didn't stop me from continuing.

 

[BillJ]

I love my wife... so I don't subject her to Trek very often.

 

[Alrik]

Fortunately, my wife grew up watching TNG, so when its on, we watch it together.

For the OP, I wouldn't start with it, but I would concider including The Inner Light or maybe Darmok.

 

[Tiberius]

Especially when your significant other is not much of a sci-fi fan? It's been 10 months for me and my girlfriend and during this time we've been able to share certain movies and shows that we each like, although there is not too much crossover, outside of Lost, The Simpsons and old A-Team episodes. She is willing to be introduced to some TNG and Trek in general and I am curious to know from the group here what your suggestions would be for best episodes in this situation.

In past relationships and in my former marriage, the women already had familiarity with TNG or some Trek and so adding TNG to the viewing agenda was not a big deal. To a person who has not seen any Star Trek outside of the latest Abrams film, it can seem daunting to dive into the series. And she is not looking to watch every episode, just those I would consider favorites or top quality. I have my own thoughts on what these would be, but certainly let me know any 5 or 10 suggestions you all might have!

EDIT - Damn it, that was supposed to read "significant" in the thread title!

I've been introducing my girlfriend to Star Trek. We've just finished watching Enterprise. She's loving it. I just showed her the first ep and she got right into it.

 

[MikeS]

My advice - Do not go with anyone's "Top 10".

My girlfriend asked to be introduced to TNG after I mentioned the Edo during a conversation. So her first experience of Trek (after Abrams) was the widely riled "Justice".

She loved it! The campness, the idea of a culture that live for pleasure, even Wesley "We're Starfleet officers..." line! I thought "Great, wait until you see this" and showed her "Tapestry". She fell asleep

She did not have the "backstory" to feel anything for Picard or Q, so an episode widely considered one of the best meant nothing to her.

We're now watching them in order and we're up to mid-season 3. She loves it. Perhaps not as much as I do, but she see's it as an insight to my childhood and can see how it has shaped my morals and thoughts. She is convinced that Picard was my childhood role-model. Perhaps she is correct.

My point is that different folks like different things, and an episode we may think to be great will not be so great to someone else. I love the political episodes such as "The Defector" or "Sins Of The Father", these send her to sleep and she likes the campy ones that I hate.

It's nice to do something you enjoy with someone you love.

Have fun!

 

[Listener4]

The best episode to introduce someone to Trek will depend on that person's particular personality and taste. I have my own favorite episodes, but obviously other people feel differently. Just wish I had someone to introduce Trek to.

 

[Vanyel]

My former boyfriend was pretty easy to get into Star Trek. I took him to ALL of the TNG movies. I've also shown him the "Borg" and "Q" episodes of TNG. And he likes them and actually came up with his own theories of transporters. His theory being that the what appears after transport is actually a perfect clone, since the person is taken apart atom by atom, which kills them, then reassembled as a clone of the original. I hated to tell him that theory had been discussed before.

We're still friends and he'll watch Trek with me. He loves TSFS. "I...have had...enough of...YOU." Being something he'll say when ever I climb up after him.

 

[Doug Otte]

My former boyfriend was pretty easy to get into Star Trek. I took him to ALL of the TNG movies. I've also shown him the "Borg" and "Q" episodes of TNG. And he likes them and actually came up with his own theories of transporters. His theory being that the what appears after transport is actually a perfect clone, since the person is taken apart atom by atom, which kills them, then reassembled as a clone of the original. I hated to tell him that theory had been discussed before.

We're still friends and he'll watch Trek with me. He loves TSFS. "I...have had...enough of...YOU." Being something he'll say when ever I climb up after him.

Good story. Hopefully he's not trying to kick you in the face when he says that!

I once made my wife crack up when, after she was bugging me about something, I did an imitation of Stella, including raising a straight arm and pointing: "mmmM....Harcourt Fenton Mudd...etc."

Doug

 

[TV's Frank]

Fortunately, my wife grew up watching TNG, so when its on, we watch it together.

For the OP, I wouldn't start with it, but I would concider including The Inner Light or maybe Darmok.

Funny enough, we caught the last half of "Inner Light" one day when it aired on BBCA and then all of "Darmok" in the same fashion on a different day. She thought both episodes were fine for the most part and even had fun trying to remember all the Darmok metaphors, but when the show gets "techie" I think she just tunes out and then loses interest. Even in "Data's Day" when they discuss beaming the ambassador and her transporter pattern, she basically throws up her hands and says "What the hell are they talking about?"