Early TNG especially was overlit and flat (lighting-wise) in my opinion. There wasn't a square inch of the bridge that didn't have light. Less heavily-lit sets look much better to my eyes and colors actually pop more. Give me contrast! Much more interesting. I loved the lighting in "Yesterday's Enterprise" for example. DS9 is going to look great in HD!
EARLY TNG did have quite amount of contrast and I feel the look of seasons 1 and 2 especially were the most helped by HD conversion and are the series looking its most dramatic and best.
It was later seasons that got a flatter look (which sped production time) but made the D look somewhat more bland. Judging by the scenes on DS9 in
Birthright Pt I alone on blu-ray, the look of DS9 most definitely pops in HD.
I feel the darker look exudes the
"alien" nature of the show and the setting, and also helps the sets look even more believable.
I enjoy the look of both shows. TNG did something esp in its later seasons to distance itself from the look of TOS. TOS reveled in contrast and color and swaths of light and a very moody look on board the Enterprise at times (much like the aforementioned
Yesterday's Enterprise. The brightness of the D seemed very intentional to set the more distant and optimistic future apart. This was followed by a complete departure in DS9 where 'darker' corners of the galaxy and the various societies were being explored.
I experienced this stark contrast in person at
Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas. The restaurant, shops and museum were modeled after the promenade and had a great feel to them. Countless visitors and aliens (especially during time of the convention) would mingle in the darkened corners. When beginning the TNG 'ride', participants are whisked aboard the Ent D's transporter room, then proceed down a curved corridor, which compared to the rest of the attraction was very brightly lit, visually impressive and you literally felt like you were transported to a different time and place. I was
ALMOST more impressed by the look and feel of the corridor, than the bridge itself.... almost
I think the contrast and artistry of the two shows are brought into similar relief by contrasting their look in HD
