Has TNG Aged Well?

[RAMA]

Back then even more than now, diretcors were basically rented from show to show and they rarely could put a mark on particular episodes. STNG was actually an exception, with 4-5 directors that had a notable style.

I think more than anything except technology and budgets..directing has changed the most in TV...and I am particularly interested to see what DSC looks like on this point.

RAMA

My only beef with TNG is the directing - it hasnt aged well. Sometimes the slow, static movements of the camera and the actors are opposite to what is happening. The way the show was shot was VERY conservative, almost on a 1940s movie level. It often brings me out of the show while watching it because it doesnt add up sometimes (example: a Borg drone accesses the computer panel in engineering and Picard & Co. just stand there, looking at it doing its stuff, the camera in static position, cutting back and forth).

 

[galad2003]

I am of the exact opinion. I think TNG aged horribly. It's corny and cheesy and out of touch. Don't get me wrong, I loved TNG when it came out I still like it but the characters seem the most fake and too many cheesy episodes. I think the other series have aged better - especially enterprise. I like Enterprise better now than when I first watched it.

 

[2takesfrakes]

One aspect which has not aged well - and it has often bothered me - is how goddamn CHEAP the shuttle bays are! They look like reconditioned Fan Film sets. The shuttlebay doors don't look substantial, at all - they're just embarrassing. The smaller shuttles look no better - the nacelles, in particular, are really stupid-looking. At least they splashed out for the Main Bridge, hallways, quarters and Ten Forward sets. Outside of the thrifty sets here and there ... TNG holds up, just fine. In fact, it really satisfies ...

 

[STR]

My only beef with TNG is the directing - it hasnt aged well. Sometimes the slow, static movements of the camera and the actors are opposite to what is happening. The way the show was shot was VERY conservative, almost on a 1940s movie level. It often brings me out of the show while watching it because it doesnt add up sometimes (example: a Borg drone accesses the computer panel in engineering and Picard & Co. just stand there, looking at it doing its stuff, the camera in static position, cutting back and forth).

Saying TNG looks like a 40's movie is actually an argument FOR it aging well. That's timelessness. Poor aging is something that dates it to a specific time period, like many of the civilian human costumes and hairstyles. So many shoulder pads and mismatched bright colors...

Poor aging can also be defined as how anachronistic a piece is. TNG is a mixed bag there. The computer voice control is something we deal with today. That holds up. So do the touch screens, and even the tablets. However, every tech issue is fixed by space wrenches. They hardly ever just reboot the thing, and when they do it's treated as an extreme and unusual step.

 

[Lance]

My only beef with TNG is the directing - it hasnt aged well. Sometimes the slow, static movements of the camera and the actors are opposite to what is happening. The way the show was shot was VERY conservative, almost on a 1940s movie level. It often brings me out of the show while watching it because it doesnt add up sometimes (example: a Borg drone accesses the computer panel in engineering and Picard & Co. just stand there, looking at it doing its stuff, the camera in static position, cutting back and forth).

While I do get what you mean by this, I also think it is more stylish than modern directing. Something like that single shot in TNG: "Eovlution" where the camera zooms slowly in from a wideshot of the bridge to a closeup Picard as events unfold around him, without any editing or cuts to other angles, is very slow by modern terms where we've all become so used to fast paced editing techniques..... but it also has a greater artistic integrity than many modern TV and movies with their ridiculous amounts of CUT-CUT-CUT-CUT-CUT between reaction shots. The slow shot builds the tension better. Same goes for the endless walk-'n-talk corridor scenes of two people expositing while moving from place to place, sometimes a shot doesn't need fancy direction, and works much better with a slow and steady approach.

I agree that it does make the show.... feel slower, these days.

 

[BlueshirtGuard]

I really don't have any issues with the effects in TNG. The ships and sets hold up very well. Seasons 1 and 2 are a little dated but season 3 on really still look good to me.

 

[Armus]

I am 40. I grew up watching TNG. It started when I was in 6th grade and ended when I graduated from HS.. I would watch reruns until my early 30's. Things happened, marraige, family, etc. Now this summer I have started watching it again. With the exception of the first 2 seasons (especially season 1) the show really has aged well in my opinion It does not look corny like TOS did in the 80's, 90's, and today.

Thoughts? Opinions?

I am 40. I grew up watching TNG. It started when I was in 6th grade and ended when I graduated from HS.. I would watch reruns until my early 30's. Things happened, marraige, family, etc. Now this summer I have started watching it again. With the exception of the first 2 seasons (especially season 1) the show really has aged well in my opinion It does not look corny like TOS did in the 80's, 90's, and today.

Thoughts? Opinions?

TNG was never corny, aside from the first 10 episodes or so. I think the show has aged quite well. The production values and effects look great in HD. The carpeted walls and floor are the only things that look a little off today. In terms music, lighting, and "cinema feel" the first 3 seasons surpass what followed, when the show became a little too staid in its look and feel.

 

[Armus]

Back then even more than now, diretcors were basically rented from show to show and they rarely could put a mark on particular episodes. STNG was actually an exception, with 4-5 directors that had a notable style.


RAMA

The directing style of Rob Bowman, Winrich Kolbe, David Carson, and David Livingston def stands out amongst all the TNG directors.

 

[donners22]

I find that its look has aged the worst of any Trek series (unless you count TAS).

I find TOS a lot easier to watch because the dated aspects feel a bit strange and alien, while TNG just feels so...'80s.

 

[Mojochi]

Seeing how they ran the movies based on it until only 15 years ago? Yeah, I'd say it's held up pretty well. Does it have aspects that don't hold up? Sure. How could it not? Many of those things were even questionable back then though. The show had faults & limitations, even at the time, & those things have only gotten more noticeable. In my area, it's the only one that still shows up in syndication now & then. That's gotta count for something

 

[Captain Zog]

I'd say it looks its age, but for me that's part of the charm. The early seasons scream 80s, while what comes later retains a very early 90s look and feel. The special effects are nothing special by today's standards either, but that was never really the point anyway.

 

[Jetboogieman]

Depends on the episode, really does depend.

 

[CaptainSpirk]

"The Next Generation" has held up well. Especially since the Blu-ray DVD's have made the series look even better.

I agree with most that the first and second season was a misstep, but they did have a few gems like "Hide and Q", "Datalore", "Skin of Evil", "Elementary, Dear Data", "The Schizoid Man", "A Matter of Honor" and "The Measure of a Man."

 

[tomswift2002]

I think TNG has aged well, and one thing that has aged well has been the self-contained stories. Sure there were a few multi-part episodes, but unlike Enterprise's third season, or most shows nowadays where you really need to be onboard from the pilot and not miss any episodes to follow the story. With a number of shows nowadays I usually drop off after the fifth or sixth episode because they'll be trying to create story's out of things that really should be minor C or D plots, but they need to fill out a 22 season contract, so you get a lot of filler, I find, usually between the 5th/6th episode and the 17th/18th episode.
With TNG, and even DS9 & Voyager, you got the occasional one or two episode run of not good episodes, but then you could always jump back in at a later date.

And visually, I know that some people complain about the over lit aspect of the show, but I think it really helped to tell the story, because when you've got nothing on screen, or extremely dark scenes, people are going to tune out.

 

[JesterFace]

TNG just feels so...'80s.

That's funny because majority of it was made in the 90s...

 

[Nyotarules]

It has not aged well for me, when its on tv I don't feel a nostalgic pull to watch it however when DS9, VOY, TOS and even ENT come on they grab my attention even if I can recite the script in my sleep.

 

[JamesRye]

Certain aspects of TNG have aged particularly badly. The idiotic assertion that Data cannot use contractions in early seasons, the heavy makeup on the actresses and use of soft focus shots for women. Style wise, there's the opening teasers, which often have obvious music "dun, dun derh" ending with a closeup on the captain. Cheesy sign off's in season 1. Counsellor Troi practically screams early 90's with her role. It's also very beige and some of the acting is seriously bad - looking at you Dr Crusher.

And still. I love it.

 

[Devilpogostick]

Yeah, the show didn't age too well, especially the early seasons.

The costumes and 80s look with the characters early on really didn't help since that's a given consistent basis. Later seasons fare better in my opinion but it's not really a huge step up.

...Worf growing his hair out per season compared to his look in season one to me however was a major step in the right direction. I was fine with the ridges but the hair back then was just bad...

 

[JesterFace]

As a whole, I think TNG has aged very well from the start of season 3 onwards.

Many have said that clothing is so 80s or 90s... but some say that fashion goes in cycles. What was fashionable in the 80s is not what people wear today, but maybe in the future it's cool again. Hard as it may be to understand today.

 

[Voth commando1]

I think so, some of the earlier seasons look a little cheesy but there's still gold.

The FX isn't by any means bad, nor are the make up and so on displeasing to 2010's aesthetic sensibilities.

In terms of plot, characterization and so on that's a little more complex

TV now is immensely serialized almost that episodes are quite literally just big scenes in arc. Too modern TV and culture aficionados TNG might seem disjointed, our of whack, or lacking in broad development.

Personally I'm not opposed to a balance between episodic and serialized. TNG and Voyager were more towards episodic and contrary to popular opinion I'd say Voyager is more serialized than TNG. Why? For one its plot has a defined ending-getting home, two character development follows main plot fairly smoothly, Seven and the Doctor grow into remarkable people, Janeway becomes more bitter and cynical, Tom becomes a young man of responsibility and B'lanna overcomes her heritage issues. Neelix loses Kes but by the time he leaves has won everybody's respect including Tuvok. He also has confidence. Tuvok being in the triple digits really shouldn't have character development and is personality is unchanged. Kim in the alternate timeline does become captain. And Chakotay well he gets Borg babe.

TNG didn't have a defined ending. It had a few arcs Klingon Civil War, Data's growth, and Picard's growth though we're the real heart of the show.

TNG, Voyager, DS9(to a lesser extent) and the X-files I think hit the right balance. Episodic stories with an overarching theme or mythology.

Personally I'm not one to invest hours upon hours of my time watching things in sequential order which serialization expects.

Anyway that's my two cents.

 

[Logopolis]

Up until recently I felt that TNG had aged poorly. But, given the recent resurgence of 80s sci-fi and horror (Stranger Things as one example) along with the current political and social climate, TNG seems quite timely. However, some of the bad things are still downright bad. Yet, the remastering has helped to given the show a new breadth of life. But, I think it's the cast and sense of "family" between the characters that really gives TNG its timeless appeal.

 

[tomswift2002]

I'm rewatching Relics-HD right now and it probably better story wise than anything that I've seen on TV this year. Even in HD the model work looks a lot better than a lot of the CGI that I've seen on TV recently.