Rewatching Season 2 TNG

[BillJ]

I enjoyed that scene, but it was the first episode where the prime directive meant "We sit and watch while worlds die of natural disasters".

Which isn't exactly the case. Obviously, there is some debate at Starfleet or else Picard would've been reprimanded or lost his command after the events of "Pen Pals" and "Code of Honor" where he had a hand in changing the planetary government. Also, putting himself in the middle of a contractual squabble in "Devil's Due".

Even Picard seems conflicted about the Prime Directive.

 

[RAMA]

I just finished a rewatch of Season 2 of TNG and am wondering about others' thoughts. I found the season to be significantly better than Season 1 with some of the best stories in the entire series. In another thread, I expressed the fact I was a big fan of Dr. Pulaski; that aside, there was considerable character development in Season 2 and you could begin to feel the chemistry that was developing between the characters. Also great was the addition of Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan - she added mystery and fun to the show.

Some of my favorite episodes included 'Elementary, Dear Data', 'Loud As A Whisper', 'Unnatural Selection', 'A Matter of Honor', 'Pen Pals', 'Q Who', and what is probably one of the top 10 episodes of the entire series 'The Measure of a Man'.

What do others think?

Out of all the 7 seasons season 2 ranks as my worst.

 

[2takesfrakes]

I've not watched Shades of Grey in a while, and found it to be far more entertaining than is reputed, even in this thread! Even when unconscious, Riker knows how to put on a good show ...

 

[BillJ]

I've not watched Shades of Grey in a while, and found it to be far more entertaining than is reputed, even in this thread! Even when unconscious, Riker knows how to put on a good show ...

Probably the best acting Frakes did in TNG's entire run!

 

[2takesfrakes]

 

[Phoenix219]

Well ... I feel the same way about Lwaxana Troi and one or two others.

But TNG without Gates is like cornflakes without the milk! Even the prideful Denise Crosby who thought her incredible beauty, alone, would propel her to superstardom, returned to TNG with crow's feathers in her teeth! Gates, on the otherhand, was wronged ... and we all know the story behind that. So, unlike Denise, whose return felt kind of like she was just down on her luck, or whatever ... Gates' return was comparable to, say, Lenny's returning as Spock in STAR TREK III. For TNG's CMO there's only one perfect fit ... and Gates McFadden is it. That might not interest some fans, but without Bev, we've got gornisht ... bupkes ... we've got nothing!

can't agree with a word written here..... and comparing Gates to Nimoy.... wow. I don't even have words. Pulaski was much more interesting, and Wesley was better without his Mommy.

 

[2takesfrakes]

I appreciate that you don't agree with my statements. All I can do, though, is stand by them.

And, perhaps, add that McFadden was definitely out of STAR TREK against her will, whereas Lenny had all the control over his future in the franchise. So, her return was actually more meaningful, in a lot of ways, than Nimoy's battle for use and control over his image and all that. Plus, I believe he felt he'd been owed some monies as well. But his participation in STAR TREK was always up to him. Bev is not the iconic Pop Culture Icon Spock is, no. But her place in TNG was just as important as Spock's was in TOS. The CMO role was McFadden's gig.

The particulars of Diane's involvement in the show were not going to permit her character to replace Bev. Everyone knows the cast was mostly unappreciative of her situation and some even had issue with her - namely Sir Patrick Stewart. So, whilst it's nice to kind of play it out, for some fans, what TNG would've been like with a permanent Pulaski, it had no chance, anyway. Someone new would've had to try for the part of the "D's" new CMO, after Diane left, because Pulaski wasn't it. And only because so much time went by, in that instance, would the cast be able to warm up to TNG without Gates.

But if there was any chance of enticing her back it was always her gig ... not Diane's ... not anybody's. Just like replacing Spock after TWoK with Saavik wouldn't have cut it. Gates was part of the team that proved there was life for STAR TREK after TOS. Some bands can drop members, add members and nobody takes notice. Others, though ... it's the original members who make The Magic work. Or the chemistry ain't right.

 

[BillJ]

But if there was any chance of enticing her back it was always her gig ... not Diane's ... not anybody's. Just like replacing Spock after TWoK with Saavik wouldn't have cut it. Gates was part of the team that proved there was life for STAR TREK after TOS. Some bands can drop members, add members and nobody takes notice. Others, though ... it's the original members who make The Magic work. Or the chemistry ain't right.

Beverly Crusher as a character was just so incredibly dull. Of the four modern series, the TNG gang were the blandest of the bunch. They simply weren't interesting enough to carry bad material.

I think if you had flip flopped TNG and Enterprise in the airing order, Enterprise would have performed as well as TNG did and TNG may not have made it out of its first season.

 

[JesterFace]

Beverly Crusher as a character was just so incredibly dull. Of the four modern series, the TNG gang were the blandest of the bunch. They simply weren't interesting enough to carry bad material.

Some people just are boring... It's not a strong character if someone is a boring personality but perhaps Beverly just is a boring person.

 

[2takesfrakes]

I've heard that argument before, that if any other spinoff had come out immediately after TOS, instead of TNG, that it would've enjoyed similar ratings. This logic is extremely flawed, for any number of reasons. But the highlights are these:

In one way, or another, the studio was going to need Gene Roddenberry's blessing for the next series, whether he Executive Produced it, or not. But having him actually create the show was better for everyone involved. And it wasn't going to look like DS9, or VOY, or ENT or ST09, with Roddenberry at the controls. It just wasn't. Those were Rick Berman's offerings. Gene knew of the intent to follow TNG up with DS9, but only in the broadest strokes; he took no part in it. And however many other people might've acted as sounding boards in discussions with him about what TNG might start out as, Gene's stamp is all over it - and he really turned up trumps!

As to Beverly and whatever her qualities are, or might be, Odan from the episode "The Host" summed her up, quite nicely: "It's Beverly's smile, it's her kindness, her beauty within ... and without." And I agree ... 100%. I love Bev. She's the kind of Doctor I would happily refer other people to. Is she Angelina Jolie, in her prime? No ... she's not the kind of woman that Men would have serious fantasies about. I must concede that. In fact, it wouldn't be inaccurate, at all, describing her as "motherly." Nevertheless, I do love her as a character. I think Bev's wonderful.

 

[Phoenix219]

I appreciate that you don't agree with my statements. All I can do, though, is stand by them.

And, perhaps, add that McFadden was definitely out of STAR TREK against her will, whereas Lenny had all the control over his future in the franchise. So, her return was actually more meaningful, in a lot of ways, than Nimoy's battle for use and control over his image and all that. Plus, I believe he felt he'd been owed some monies as well. But his participation in STAR TREK was always up to him. Bev is not the iconic Pop Culture Icon Spock is, no. But her place in TNG was just as important as Spock's was in TOS. The CMO role was McFadden's gig.

The particulars of Diane's involvement in the show were not going to permit her character to replace Bev. Everyone knows the cast was mostly unappreciative of her situation and some even had issue with her - namely Sir Patrick Stewart. So, whilst it's nice to kind of play it out, for some fans, what TNG would've been like with a permanent Pulaski, it had no chance, anyway. Someone new would've had to try for the part of the "D's" new CMO, after Diane left, because Pulaski wasn't it. And only because so much time went by, in that instance, would the cast be able to warm up to TNG without Gates.

But if there was any chance of enticing her back it was always her gig ... not Diane's ... not anybody's. Just like replacing Spock after TWoK with Saavik wouldn't have cut it. Gates was part of the team that proved there was life for STAR TREK after TOS. Some bands can drop members, add members and nobody takes notice. Others, though ... it's the original members who make The Magic work. Or the chemistry ain't right.

It was always her gig? Not anybody's? You're giving her an awful lot of credit for 1 mediocre season. It was close enough to the beginning of the show that any one of them could have been a casualty. So many characters were being shuffled around. Crusher had done nothing to warrant the type of absolutes you are giving her.... not to mention, from what you are describing, the rest of the actors were completely unprofessional and out of line. Sounds like you just honestly dislike Pulaski, though, considering your suggestion that a 3rd random person would have still been better then her.

 

[2takesfrakes]

I just want to make a distinction regarding Diane Mulder (sp) and Kate Pulaski. Diane's great, I don't have a problem with her. But what existed with the cast not meshing with her, for the most part, is simply what existed. I have no control over that. I'm kind of a bit surprised by it, as well. But that's showbiz for you. At any rate, I didn't care for Pulaski, she was entirely too bossy outside of Sickbay, for one thing. For another, I didn't buy her hanging out with the crew, at all. She just seemed like a tag-along ... a hanger-on ... and I feel it weakened her characterisation, actually. "They" should've pulled back with Pulaski to generate interest. Instead she's got to stick her fingers in everyone's pies. Her own history with Riker's dad (Kyle) had some potential.

And yes, other characters were being developed and further refined, in that first season. Still, others were becoming inconsequential, in particular Tasha Yar. If she wasn't being the Tough Cookie, roughing up Men twice her size, then she was standing on the bridge with nothing to do, towards the middle of the season. The only character to really be consistent in concept and execution actually was Bev. She was well-defined, as was her job.

 

[RAMA]

Crusher just fit the show better and everyone felt the chemistry was better, which is apparent on screen. Plus Pulaski was clearly just a McCoy retread.

RAMA

 

[2takesfrakes]

Everybody gets their 15 minutes of fame. Pulaski had hers, in TNG. Fans of Kate have plenty of episodes with her. Considering how McFadden should've never been forced out, to begin with, I reckon they got a bargain. The Second Season of TNG was the real start of something special for this series, now that everybody had been sorted out, by the end of it. As Gene Roddenberry's final stamp on the series and - indeed - the entire franchise, it's not too bad at all ...

 

[BillJ]

Crusher just fit the show better and everyone felt the chemistry was better, which is apparent on screen. Plus Pulaski was clearly just a McCoy retread.

RAMA

What was apparent, was how dull the show was when she was on screen. I'm sure Gates McFadden is a good actor, but Crusher was a poorly written character much of the time.

I can count on one hand, episodes that I actually enjoyed her presence. Especially if that hand only has three fingers.

 

[Phoenix219]

I had no problems with the McCoy retread; it was an element that TNG sorely lacked.... conflict between characters on a *dramatic show* is a *good thing.* You can all be friends and still have funamental philosophical disagreements and such. Maybe its just because as a TOS fan first and foremost, the "retread" (Pulaski/Data) just worked for me personally. TNG had attempted to distance itself and completely disregard everything that came before it for the most part. It was nice to see something familiar in play.

 

[Vandervecken]

I'm a big fan of Where Silence Has Lease (Nagilum is almost Lovecraftian), it's one of my faves of the series, so yay to season 2 for that and other eps already named.

Pulaski, not so much. The character was jarring and Muldaur comes off strident and overflourishing in her delivery. I winced at all her interactions, not just the overdone and weird Data stuff.

Beverly should have been given more to do, but that's not McFadden's fault. The character had more potential, and except for a few affected vocal mannerisms McFadden was very good I thought, and definitely not jarring or overdone. Remember Me and Ethics prove conclusively, and at least in my opinion well, that she could carry an ep. I especially liked the clear medical angle in Ethics, and thought her final words to Russell were great and delivered searingly.

 

[UnknownSample]

I'd rather have a sometimes irritating, irritable character than one who evokes no real feelings in me at all, and that's G McFadden to me. Do you really have to like a character?

Anyway, I very much agree with TrekSurvivor. Season 2 is my favorite. It has b ad episodes, interspersed with some of the best, and it's more alert and alive and any other season. Riker-- this is his one good season, where he's an actual character.