Based on ratings, popularity, and acclaim?
Most successful/least successful show
- Thread starter Sparkle Fabulosa
- Start date
TNG had pretty high viewership and won many awards.
Voyager certainly attracted more casual viewers than DS9 due to the familiarity of the format and its high profile as the flagship show of UPN, while Deep Space Nine had a smaller viewership but gained critical acclaim.
And Enterprise? Well,
. 'Nuff said.
Kor
Voyager certainly attracted more casual viewers than DS9 due to the familiarity of the format and its high profile as the flagship show of UPN, while Deep Space Nine had a smaller viewership but gained critical acclaim.
And Enterprise? Well,
. 'Nuff said.Kor
I'd go with this, whilst perhaps TNG was more succesful ratings wise and perhaps critically as well. Withut TOS the others wouldn't exisit. TNG was a ratings winner and recieved critical acclaim. WHilst DSN wasn't as succusful as TNG rating's wise it was also critically acclaimed.
It may not technically have been the most successful, but Voyager is my favorite. I loved that crew. The feisty Captain, spiritual Chakotay, stoic Tuvok, sarcastic Tom Paris, fiery B'Elanna, nice guy Harry, former Borg Seven and the most arrogant hologram of the fleet, the Doctor. I miss those guys. 
Most successful is arguably TOS since without it and its popularity there wouldn't be a Star Trek franchise. And it's probably one of, if not the only show from the 60s that still gets regular syndicated showings all over the world. Though I suppose TNG probably did best ratings in first run.
Least successful is Enterprise, for obvious reasons.
Least successful is Enterprise, for obvious reasons.
You know, I had a feeling that Enterprise was the least successful. Why didn't it do as well as the others?
A) After TOS, it started out with the least expectations.
B) It didn't take any risks until it was too late to keep its audience. First two seasons it was just kinda trying to coast on formula, but most of the few people still watching were already tired of the formula.
Most successful, if you only judge success during its original run then TNG is most successful, but in the long term you have to say TOS. All the Berman era shows exist because TOS was successful.
Agreed!
I was also not a hater of DS9, and liked the chances it took and the story arcs it "drew". I wanted Enterprise to be so much better than it was. I am lucky to be an old enough Fossil to have watched TOS as it aired. It shaped much of who I am. No hyperbole. TNG was so rich in so much, not perfect, but rich. I also did not hate Voyager, and watched it faithfully. I totally dug a female captain! And, I did get a kick out of TAS.
Some would argue that ST started to become risk adverse with VOY. Having the fewest expectations should actually have helped ENT as the lower/fewer expectations people have the less likely they will be dissapointed. I think rather than having fewer expectations some people had expectations of what a prequel show would be like, a premise which many would argue wasn't delivered until S4.
TNG was most successful during its run: ratings, merchandise, media coverage.
TOS is most successful for longevity and lasting pop culture visibility.
The others don't even compare.
TOS is most successful for longevity and lasting pop culture visibility.
The others don't even compare.
Although within five years there was an animated series and a decade after the cancellation of TOS it was relaunched as a movie series. Here we are a week away from the tenth anniversary of TATV's airdate and Enterprise has no revival or continuation on the horizon. Hell aside from the novels (which are limited to one per year) nothing's been done with Enterprise.
In fact, the next screen production after Enterprise abandoned the previous 40 years of continuity and rebooted the franchise.
- TOS - Cult following, six successful movies, and started the franchise
- TNG - Brought Trek to a much wider audience and became a television staple in its time
- DS9 - Nearly universal acclaim by fans
- VOY - Often draws criticism from fans, but was still a fairly popular show
- ENT - Complete flop as far as popularity is concerned, and often criticized by fans
- TAS - Critical flop, often ridiculed by fans, deemed non-canon by official sources, and forgotten by nearly everyone in this thread
I guess it's hip to hate on TAS now.
Actually, it was critically acclaimed and won an Emmy. It did well enough that it was the only Filmation cartoon to last two seasons instead of one.
Try naming another Saturday morning cartoon of that time period that was at the level of ST:TAS.
While TAS may have been deemed "not canon" (why does that even matter, anyway?) at some point by some junior staff member who was assigned to answer fan questions, there have been references to TAS in later Trek, including ENT and ST09. And Kirk's middle name Tiberius came from TAS.
Whether "canon" or not, I would certainly take episodes written by D.C. Fontana, David Gerrold, and Larry Niven over a good chunk of later Trek any day of the week!
Kor
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Agreed - I love TAS and was actually my first experience with Trek back in '74 before I ever realized the 60's version existed. Technical limitations of the animation and half-hour broadcast span aside, TAS had arguably the highest potential at the time. They didn't have to worry as much about budget for visual effects, as it was all just drawn and painted like everything else. It left them available to concentrate more on interesting stories than vapid whiz-bang or ubiquitous aliens/ships-of-the-week.
Despite Roddenberry's issues with the show and the people that ran it, there was still an air of legitimacy to it with all the original voices. Always loved how later shows, especially Enterprise, frequently went back to the TAS well for inspiration or subtle tips-of-the-hat. And the Kzin! Oh, the Kzin! If Enterprise had only lasted one more season... I really think it could have gone all the way if it had broken through that last barrier.
Despite Roddenberry's issues with the show and the people that ran it, there was still an air of legitimacy to it with all the original voices. Always loved how later shows, especially Enterprise, frequently went back to the TAS well for inspiration or subtle tips-of-the-hat. And the Kzin! Oh, the Kzin! If Enterprise had only lasted one more season... I really think it could have gone all the way if it had broken through that last barrier.
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