BBC America: "one of the highest-rated shows on our network"

[Alrik]

It would be nice if they would stop showing the same 30 episodes a gazillion times.

Too bad. A local station here airs TNG M-F at 11:00 pm CST. They started with EaF and have been showing the eps in order ever since.

 

[Red Ranger]

This is good to see, AND it's a nice refutation of the whole "TNG is SOOOOOO outdated and has aged very badly" meme that folks who can't think for themselves like to repeat endlessly on these boards.

Agreed, sonak. That is a tired meme. I also get a kick out of the "British English vs. American English" commercials where they "translate" what Picard says into American English. I'd also like to add that the success of TNG on BBC America bodes well for a future new Trek series.

 

[mswood]

The main thing that dates it is the camera style. Television has become a lot more cinematic thanks to shows like The West Wing, 24 and Lost. TNG plays more like theatre now. This isn't a reflection on TNG's quality, just that you can date certain things based on the cinematic conventions they use to tell a story.

This is true, but I also think the style of writing (my main interest) has changed massively in terms of structure of a scene, pacing etc. TNG is liking a watching a stage play - from the lengthy scenes, the dialogue, the staging etc.

Note - this isn't a criticism, it's just the way it was made. I think one of the great failings of later Treks was they were still making episodes the same way in the 21st century as they were in 1987.

THis is very true, really the only producer who really pushed to keep Trek closer to modern filming (both camera work, and writing) was Braga. Love him or hate him, he did (and really was the primary one) who pushed for more modern story telling. Its one of the reason I always wished Ron and Brannon still worked together (though with BSG Ron absolutely embraced modern film styles, but this was after Roswell, Carnival, ect). I liked that Brannon was a much more visual producer, Ron was a much more character driven producer and I think together they really did wonders and would have loved to see them get free reign on a Trek show.

But unfortunately the studio would never allow that level of creative freedom, really not until the franchise was almost dead on tv.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

I like your style, mswood: Ron and Brannon would be a great pairing these days.

 

[milatchi]

"one of the highest-rated shows on our network"

I don't doubt it. I used to watch TNG every night when it came on Spike (American cable TV network).

 

[Destructor]

"one of the highest-rated shows on our network"

I don't doubt it. I used to watch TNG every night when it came on Spike (American cable TV network).

I find it very difficult to change the channel once TNG comes on.

 

[Steve67]

The main thing that dates it is the camera style. Television has become a lot more cinematic thanks to shows like The West Wing, 24 and Lost. TNG plays more like theatre now. This isn't a reflection on TNG's quality, just that you can date certain things based on the cinematic conventions they use to tell a story.

Heh. You want "dated"? Wait'll you see how Star Trek (2009) with its lens flares, Shaky-Cam, "I-went-to-film-school"-style of cinema looks in a couple years, not to mention the shows listed above. Not that that's somehow wrong or bad, but everything is dated.

I'll never understand why the term is used as some kind of dismissal.