Fix TNG!
Dear Members:
I know it's somewhat fashionable to bash TNG these days. It does have its flaws, but so do all the ST series. I have always been a fan, but I always wondered what would have happened if certain aspects of the characters had been different from the get-go.
You see, I recognize there are weak aspects of the series and its characters and would have loved a chance to fix them before it went on the air.
Here is my blueprint to make TNG better, with a few more radical changes thrown in for argument's sake.
FIRST: MORE TENSION BETWEEN THE MAIN CHARACTERS. Would have been difficult to pull this off with Rodenberry at the helm, but the seeds for more conflict are certainly there.
Now, let me delve into the main characters and say how I would have developed things.
PICARD: S1 Picard's grumpiness and discomfort with children was never really developed further, other than his sometimes disapproving tone with Wesley. Later, they kind of glossed it over in the ep where Picard is trapped in a turbolift with some children.
I would have kept Picard a bit grumpy and irascible, esp. when it came to children, and then reveal why he felt that way bit by bit. I think it had something to do with his not having a family, perhaps a sense of bitterness.
I also would have had him have a serious long-term relationship with a woman during the series, either Dr. Beverly Crusher or perhaps a civilian woman who serves as the liaison for the families. A woman who was outside the chain of command that Picard would have to deal with as an equal, like dealing with the leader of a new species, kind of an in-ship lesson in diplomacy.
RIKER: Would have made Riker more of a bad boy, a promising Starfleet officer who had been turned down for a captaincy because of an error in command judgement. He gets the assignment of first officer of Enterprise both as a consolation prize and as a bit of a punishment, sent to serve at the legendary Picard's side as a way of reclaiming his lost potential. As a result, he would have been a bit more like Decker in TMP, more openly challenging Picard's decisions. So it's a test both of his and Picard's mettle. I'm also thinking of the character of Commander Quntin Stone from the Peter David novel, Rock And A Hard Place.
I also wish they would have developed Riker's unease at working with Data, an android he doesn't quite believe is sentient and is troubled by his attitude that he is superior to humans. That would have made for a more intriguing dynamic -- two officers who have to win one another's loyalty and approval.
DATA: No major changes for him, other than an actual promotion halfway in the series to full commander and no emotion chip.
TROI: I always thought Troi, like Tam Elbrun from Tin Man, should have been some kind of specialist in unusual cultures, as another role aside from being ship's counselor, something like chief exopsychologist. In this role, her empathic abilities are only another quiver in her skills in dealing with alien cultures. I also would have made her a bridge officer, perhaps even second officer instead of Data. Another possibility: I might have made Troi the chief engineer, a post that wouldn't have relied so heavily on her empathic abilities -- they simply help her be a leader.
GEORDI: First off, I would have made Geordi the chief engineer all along. Or, imagine if he was the blind ship's counselor. I also think his banana comb as the visor was a goofy prop. Would have had his Visor be artificially implanted eyes like they were in the movies. I also would have made Geordi less of a geek.
WORF: I think Worf's character needs little tinkering. I would have made him chief of security from the get-go instead of Yar. His background is more suited for such a post, and it could have been established this was a new role for him after serving as an assistant chief of security on a previous ship.
YAR: Her character, in addition to Wesley, needs the most work. I think she would have been better off as the gung-ho, eager, up-and-coming command track officer and helm officer with a lot to learn from the steady mentorship of Picard. Would have made more sense than her being a hot-headed chief of security, a post that requires more thoughtful restraint.
BEVERLY CRUSHER: Not a fan of this character or actress. Instead of her being the CMO, would have much preferred it if she were the character I mentioned above, the ship's civilian liaision who crosses swords with the career Starfleet officer Picard was. And from that tempestous relationship would have come the kind of romantic relationship those two should have had. Or maybe the CMO could have also doubled as the civilian liaison, again, something Picard was not used to in his career. The point being, more conflict between these two headstrong characters.
WESLEY CRUSHER: Again, the wunderkind who is able to solve problems faster even than the android officer was tiresome. He should have been an average student who is then appointed as an officer-in-training, a special program Picard initiates, at Riker's suggestion, for some of the more adventurous young people on board the ship, kind of like what used to be called co-op education, where a small cadre of future cadets learns by doing.
Those are my suggestions. Now, it's all your turn. Have at it!
Red Ranger
Dear Members:
I know it's somewhat fashionable to bash TNG these days. It does have its flaws, but so do all the ST series. I have always been a fan, but I always wondered what would have happened if certain aspects of the characters had been different from the get-go.
You see, I recognize there are weak aspects of the series and its characters and would have loved a chance to fix them before it went on the air.
Here is my blueprint to make TNG better, with a few more radical changes thrown in for argument's sake.
FIRST: MORE TENSION BETWEEN THE MAIN CHARACTERS. Would have been difficult to pull this off with Rodenberry at the helm, but the seeds for more conflict are certainly there.
Now, let me delve into the main characters and say how I would have developed things.
PICARD: S1 Picard's grumpiness and discomfort with children was never really developed further, other than his sometimes disapproving tone with Wesley. Later, they kind of glossed it over in the ep where Picard is trapped in a turbolift with some children.
I would have kept Picard a bit grumpy and irascible, esp. when it came to children, and then reveal why he felt that way bit by bit. I think it had something to do with his not having a family, perhaps a sense of bitterness.
I also would have had him have a serious long-term relationship with a woman during the series, either Dr. Beverly Crusher or perhaps a civilian woman who serves as the liaison for the families. A woman who was outside the chain of command that Picard would have to deal with as an equal, like dealing with the leader of a new species, kind of an in-ship lesson in diplomacy.
RIKER: Would have made Riker more of a bad boy, a promising Starfleet officer who had been turned down for a captaincy because of an error in command judgement. He gets the assignment of first officer of Enterprise both as a consolation prize and as a bit of a punishment, sent to serve at the legendary Picard's side as a way of reclaiming his lost potential. As a result, he would have been a bit more like Decker in TMP, more openly challenging Picard's decisions. So it's a test both of his and Picard's mettle. I'm also thinking of the character of Commander Quntin Stone from the Peter David novel, Rock And A Hard Place.
I also wish they would have developed Riker's unease at working with Data, an android he doesn't quite believe is sentient and is troubled by his attitude that he is superior to humans. That would have made for a more intriguing dynamic -- two officers who have to win one another's loyalty and approval.
DATA: No major changes for him, other than an actual promotion halfway in the series to full commander and no emotion chip.
TROI: I always thought Troi, like Tam Elbrun from Tin Man, should have been some kind of specialist in unusual cultures, as another role aside from being ship's counselor, something like chief exopsychologist. In this role, her empathic abilities are only another quiver in her skills in dealing with alien cultures. I also would have made her a bridge officer, perhaps even second officer instead of Data. Another possibility: I might have made Troi the chief engineer, a post that wouldn't have relied so heavily on her empathic abilities -- they simply help her be a leader.
GEORDI: First off, I would have made Geordi the chief engineer all along. Or, imagine if he was the blind ship's counselor. I also think his banana comb as the visor was a goofy prop. Would have had his Visor be artificially implanted eyes like they were in the movies. I also would have made Geordi less of a geek.
WORF: I think Worf's character needs little tinkering. I would have made him chief of security from the get-go instead of Yar. His background is more suited for such a post, and it could have been established this was a new role for him after serving as an assistant chief of security on a previous ship.
YAR: Her character, in addition to Wesley, needs the most work. I think she would have been better off as the gung-ho, eager, up-and-coming command track officer and helm officer with a lot to learn from the steady mentorship of Picard. Would have made more sense than her being a hot-headed chief of security, a post that requires more thoughtful restraint.
BEVERLY CRUSHER: Not a fan of this character or actress. Instead of her being the CMO, would have much preferred it if she were the character I mentioned above, the ship's civilian liaision who crosses swords with the career Starfleet officer Picard was. And from that tempestous relationship would have come the kind of romantic relationship those two should have had. Or maybe the CMO could have also doubled as the civilian liaison, again, something Picard was not used to in his career. The point being, more conflict between these two headstrong characters.
WESLEY CRUSHER: Again, the wunderkind who is able to solve problems faster even than the android officer was tiresome. He should have been an average student who is then appointed as an officer-in-training, a special program Picard initiates, at Riker's suggestion, for some of the more adventurous young people on board the ship, kind of like what used to be called co-op education, where a small cadre of future cadets learns by doing.
Those are my suggestions. Now, it's all your turn. Have at it!
Red Ranger
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I don't really get all the TNG bashing. For one thing, the writers worked very hard in creating back stories for the characters, even addressing how many siblings they had, or not. That was lacking in the background of TOS. -- RR
-- RR
No problem.
. Another Thing, Yar may have been developed better if given the chance, Deniese left before the writers really had a fair chance. In a odd way of looking at it M. Dorn really has her to thank for his sucess. The way i look at it Worf was a under used "token klingon" episodes 1-23 in season 1, he had no real role accept being relief con and relief bridge officer as a Lieutenant JG. It was only after Yar's death that he got a chance to shine and the writers really expanded on his character making him a vital part of the ships crew as Security Chief and Chief Tactical Officer as a full Lieutenant. Then his character was a hit, they moved him into to cast of Ds9 as a Lieutenant Commander. Worf is by far the most expanded and used character.
) but the other parts: yes, yes, yes and yes.
