Discoprise won't have TOS "cardboard sets"

[BillJ]

The TNG bridge hasn’t aged well at all, IMO. The static displays look just as stagey as TOS, and there’s a tremendous amount of dead, wasted space. Add all the beige and it looks, well, dull, which I would never say about the TOS bridge.

I think it fits the "technology unchained" idea Roddenberry was running with early in TNG. Though that idea got ditched in the follow-up shows and movies. I understand the reason why (the sets look more interesting with lit up panels everywhere), but in TNG it seemed like they were really striving for the future in the initial conception and designs, much like TOS.

 

[Tuskin38]

which I would never say about the TOS bridge.

The TOS bridge is way duller.

 

[Noname Given]

The designs are a lot more detailed though. It isn't as flat.

The TNG sets hold up a lot better then the TOS series ones.

Go back and rewatch TNG season 1 and say that (as compared to ST: D or TOS Season 1)
Here's a really bad backdrop (read cheap looking even on TVs back in 1988) from TNGs ep. "Coming of Age":

That backbrop they are all standing in front of is SUPPOSED to be the remainder of a corridor at Star Fleet Academy yet you can see a shadow cast on it from above. This was how cheap looking TNG got many times at its start. (Also, look at the side walls. Are they really any worse then the corridor on TOS from 1966-69)?

 

[Jadeb]

I think it fits the "technology unchained" idea Roddenberry was running with early in TNG. Though that idea got ditched in the follow-up shows and movies. I understand the reason why (the sets look more interesting with lit up panels everywhere), but in TNG it seemed like they were really striving for the future in the initial conception and designs, much like TOS.

Yeah, I can appreciate what they were going for, and it succeeds in looking like a more comfortable successor to the TOS bridges. But it strikes me as another example of early TNG philosophizing getting in the way of creating compelling television. Just because the TNG crew enjoys the comforts of a Ramada in space doesn’t mean the primary set should look like one. Let’s have a little visual interest, please.

You’d think they’d have learned some lessons from the TMP color choices.

 

[Mudd]

I liked the TNG starship sets fine. They were probably the best the property ever had, on television.

 

[BillJ]

I liked the TNG starship sets fine. They were probably the best the property ever had, on television.

The original sets will always be my first love. But I think the best sets post-TOS were the TNG sets.

 

[Jadeb]

I liked the TNG starship sets fine. They were probably the best the property ever had, on television.

I'm not keen on the dead space on the Discovery bridge, and I'm not keen on it in the TNG bridge either. The TOS bridge strikes me as eminently practical. The bridge size is determined by the amount of room needed for the stations, everyone has a chair, and the captain can address any member of the crew easily. The TNG bridge, on the other hand, seems much more fanciful -- you've got the counselor there for no reason, a steep ramp that has no function (that is counter-functional, actually) and a security station that requires poor Worf to stand up all day. I'd feel sorry for him if the con and ops chairs didn't look so spine-destroying.

Also, so. much. beige.

 

[Mr Awe]

I liked the TNG starship sets fine. They were probably the best the property ever had, on television.

In terms of the actual design (e.g., physical layout), TOS were the best sets. Of course, they're also made with the most basic materials and so don't look good by today's standards. But, there was a tremendous amount of thought put into the design.

In terms of the best look for a ST TV series, that goes to ST: Voyager. That's not my favorite series by far--but visually it's the best.

TNG sets and Enterprise-D exterior were always dull. Even back in the 80s they hadn't aged well! I loved the series thanks to the characters and stories, which is the most important part. But the look of TNG was dull from the start.

 

[Mudd]

None of these designs, of course, make any sense as the control centers for...anything, three centuries from now. They're just supposed to look cool while giving people now the feeling that they're in a busy place where important stuff happens.

 

[Rahul]

Yeah, I really like the TNG sets. Except for the bridge. The bridge is fucking awful. Apart from that, TNG reall had some of the best sets all around - the lounge, Captains' ready room, ten forward, the quarters.... It also helped they re-used A LOT of the TMP sets, especially the corridor. Only the main engine room was IMO also inferiour to the TOS engine room - it was just so small.

My favourite set design is probably for the Ent-E in the TNG movies. Sadly the movies itself aren't as good as the TOS ones, and we never reall got to know the Ent-E as good as the other Enterprises. But the set design was beautiful. It took the comfortable style of the TNG era sets, but put back the functionality of the TOS bridge and sets. IMO - with the exception of the plexiglass LCARS monitors - it's still the best Star Trek set design all around.

 

[Mr Awe]

None of these designs, of course, make any sense as the control centers for...anything, three centuries from now. They're just supposed to look cool while giving people now the feeling that they're in a busy place where important stuff happens.

Probably. The TOS bridge feels the most practical as a workspace. But, given three centuries of development, no one knows.

 

[Tuskin38]

the Shenzhou bridge was the best bridge in DSC, which is not saying much since we're only seen 2 Federation bridges, lmao.

 

[BillJ]

Yeah, I really like the TNG sets. Except for the bridge. The bridge is fucking awful.

I love that bridge. It felt like Star Trek but wasn't a carbon copy of the TOS/Movie bridge sets.

 

[Mudd]

Yep.

 

[Rahul]

I love that bridge. It felt like Star Trek but wasn't a carbon copy of the TOS/Movie bridge sets.

The TNG bridge is just a better execution of the design away from being a really good bridge. But as it is presented on screen? I'd take the TOS bridge - really, any other Trek bridge - over it. (Except maybe the one from the Discovery. But definitely the one from the Shenzou!)

Sidenote: TNG is fucking amazing! Crappy bridge set and all.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Design-wise, I'd definitely agree the TNG bridge was the best. It was truly inspired art.

However, I think I still like the Voyager bridge the best. It always felt the most "real" or "tangible" (or whatever the hell the right word is).

 

[Jadeb]

I’ll give the TNG bridge this: It felt like the designers were trying to innovate and not just repackaging previous bridge designs. I can’t say that for most of what we’ve gotten since.

 

[CaptainMurdock]

Man the TOS bridge is awesome. Oh wait, this is a real computer station.

 

[Ronald Held]

Is it fair to compare sets for TV versus movies? The same goes for sets in STD def TV shows versus HD,4K, etc?

 

[Groppler Zorn]

Man the TOS bridge is awesome. Oh wait, this is a real computer station.

That looks so much like the DSC bridge consoles.

I’m not sure how to reconcile that.