The 1st season of TNG is definitely my favorite because it follows TOS closest in terms of style, tone, and execution compared to the later seasons.
I enjoy TNG Season One despite the horrid episodes. There was still a sense of wonder about exploration. The
Enterprise was on it's own, far from home. There was still a weridness and danger about space ("The Last Outpost," as an example). People died (Tasha Yar). It's the same reasons I think Season Two is one of the best seasons of TNG. After the excellent Season Three, TNG became standardized and everything felt and looked the same in terms of storytelling, music and characters. Space became a small town that the
Enterprise easily traveresed week-to-week. And the stories were more of galactic ambulance than deep-space exploration.
TNG Season One had a lot of promise of the show with some potentially interesting conflicts that came not from Soap Opera angst, but from wildly different perspectives and ways of approaching problem solving.
For example, EaF set up trigger that Riker and Picard would eventually come to a head when it came Away Missions. The idea that Riker would be in another DeSoto situation. That Picard would have to deal more and more with Crusher and his guilt over Jack Crusher. Perhaps, even the danger of space might've been too much for the ship's civilian population. Of course, they all but vanished after Season Three; only to be seen and heard of a handful of times in the later years.
Alas, only Worf had real conflict that stemed from his Klingon heritage/perspecitive. But even that degenerated into Soap Opera angst when he dealt with the Klingon Empire.
Seson One set up some wonderful opportunites for TNG that were never utilized. Think about it, Picard the consumate Starfleet officer and explorer who never had time for family now has a chance at one with Wesley; helping him become a man that his father could be proud of and thus relieving some of the guilt that he felt over Jack's death.
Or Crusher truly going at it with Picard over putting her son in danger. Her reaction to Picard in "Justice" was lame and flat; perhaps more to do with Gates' performance than the writing. Although, the writing on that episode could've been better. Then again, I preffered the ballsiness of Pulaski over Crusher.
Riker having to force Picard to stay on ship. Or Picard going down despite the protests of Riker and the rest. Then having something horrid happen to him, causing Riker guilt and pain.
But alas, the show we got is the show we got. Season One isn't too bad, it's not great. It's okay and I liked it. Hell, I even liked the streamlined uniform designs of Theiss even though you had to be extremely fit to fit into one.
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