Envision a different scenario vs. TNG's success

[WalkinMan]

Just wondering, considering how successful TNG was, with ratings increasing with later seasons, what could have blocked that? Could TNG have been the last ST series for a while (or better said, a not-as-successful second ST series)?

Perhaps if Patrick Stewart had left? Or Michael Pillar and Ronald Moore not come on board?

A "what-if" scenario, I was just wondering...

 

[Brutal Strudel]

Had TNG not been a spin-off but a new concept--that is, the same exact show but with no TOS and movies that had gone before--it would have lasted one, maybe two, seasons.

 

[TrueQ]

Second series...second best. It's a common thing. But do you know how many people prefer TNG over TOS? And Season 7 is absolutely amazing. TOS is "Original Star Trek", it's normal for people to consider it a landmark. Take "Harry Potter" as an example: you don't start watching HP 2. You watch the film first.
Patrick Stewart, Michael Pillar, Ronald Moore...they have nothing to do with this. TOS and the previous movies are the foundation.

 

[Brutal Strudel]

Do you know how many people prefer American Idol to TNG? Just sayin'...

My point is, without rabid Trekkies (like me, twenty years ago) watching every episode of the awful 1st and only slightly less awful 2nd seasons, TNG would never have had the chance to grow into its own in the 3rd season.

 

[TrueQ]

Yeah, I know. :-< But those who prefer TNG over American Idol will stay faithful to it and watch it no matter what. The crappy start...who cares in the end? I mean, if you are a true one and stick to TNG until its very end, you won't even think about awful season 1 and 2 when you hear Picard say "the sky's the limit".

 

[Brutal Strudel]

True, which is ironic considering that the two hours preceding him saying it flash back to "Farpoint."

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

If TNG had been an original series rather than a spin-off, it

A) Would have been a different series, since it wouldn't have been imitating or "being faithful" to anything (they're not going to do shows like "The Naked Now" and they're not going to stick a character on the bridge - Worf - to "symbolize progress" and they're not going to bring in a replacement Doctor who's supposed to remind you of the doctor character from a previous series, just to mentiont three obvious things);

B) It wouldn't have existed at all. Paramount presold this show on the basis of no more than "Star Trek: The Next Generation - 26 episodes, Fall 1987" and the details of the barter deal.

 

[DataRules]

Brutal Strudel said:
Do you know how many people prefer American Idol to TNG? Just sayin'...

My point is, without rabid Trekkies (like me, twenty years ago) watching every episode of the awful 1st and only slightly less awful 2nd seasons, TNG would never have had the chance to grow into its own in the 3rd season.

I know exactly what you mean. I sat through every one episodes - my mother gave up (prefers Kirk and the original gang). I'm so glad stuck with it - the next few seasons was a great reward for doing so.
:thumbsup: