Things in Season One we never heard or saw again...

[Trekker4747]

I remember seeing a nitpicker's guide to TNG, noting that they took shots at 20th century Earth five times during Season 1 and not again afterwards.

-Season 1 had this odd amensia about the past. There is a reference to TOS in 'The Naked Now' by Data. One would think that the information he was relaying was hundreds of years old. Like they never heard of the original Enterprise.

Good pick-up. Picard reads the information about Kirk and the Enterprise like they're completely foreign to him.

The idea was supposed to be that Kirk, legendary as he was, was just "another captain" from their 80-years distant past. Basically, if you weren't a fan of his and read about his adventures you may not be all that familiar with him or his missions.

Kirk is only, really, "legendary" to us.

 

[Christopher]

The idea was supposed to be that Kirk, legendary as he was, was just "another captain" from their 80-years distant past. Basically, if you weren't a fan of his and read about his adventures you may not be all that familiar with him or his missions.

Kirk is only, really, "legendary" to us.

Which is the smart way to do it. Just because the TV show we watched focused on a single ship and crew doesn't mean they would've been the only thing going on in the entire Federation. How many people today, even in the Navy, are intimately familiar with the career of any given WWI battleship captain and crew? How many people are taught historical events from the perspective of the military commanders on the front line rather than the political leaders back home? We TV viewers know all about Kirk and Spock on Organia and nothing about the actions of the Federation Council and president before, during, and after the Klingon war; but for most people within the Federation, it's probably the other way around.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

I'd liken Kirk more to the great explorers of 15-19th Centuries, and we do know lots of their names. Early Starfleet explorers would probably be spoken of as the Federation equivilents of Drake or Magellan.

 

[Christopher]

^A good point. Still, he would've been one of many. Most of us have heard of explorers like Vasco da Gama and Cabeza de Vaca, but how many people can instantly rattle off the details of their exploits? And who's to say that history wouldn't record, say, Garth of Izar or Bob Wesley as a greater explorer than James T. Kirk? The mistake many fans and some writers make is in assuming that the characters within the Trek universe are all Trekkies, that they all revere Jim Kirk as not only the greatest, but effectively the only hero in Starfleet history. I can understand the desire of TNG's writers to resist that tendency by downplaying Kirk's fame.

 

[Red Ranger]

Troi's frizzy 80s perm in Encounter at Farpoint.

 

[Hober Mallow]

I can't remember if anyone mentioned this, but two things from "Encounter at Farpoint..."

Deanna didn't just sense strong emotions, she felt them, to the point of blubbering like a baby when she sensed sadness and falling to the floor when feeling pain. That definitely would have gotten old fast.

There was also a hint that Troi had taught Riker to hear Troi's thoughts, something that was never explored again.

EDIT: Another one from "Farpoint," the not-yet-agreed upon date. Data says he graduated the Academy in "'78."

Long thread...

didn't read them all.

In 'Encounter.....' the crew stops and comes to attention when Picard walks by.

Check out the opening sequence in engineering.

Quite a contrast with "All Good Things," where a crewmember actually bumps into Picard in the corridor as Picard timejumps, yet doesn't appear to care. He just continues on down the corridor like nothing happened despite nearly knocking the captain over.

The idea was supposed to be that Kirk, legendary as he was, was just "another captain" from their 80-years distant past. Basically, if you weren't a fan of his and read about his adventures you may not be all that familiar with him or his missions.

Kirk is only, really, "legendary" to us.

Even if the general public isn't really aware of Kirk, you'd think that a career starship captain of the Enterprise D would at least have some basic familiarity with the history of the Enterprise line. Hell, Kirk's ship model is sitting there in Picard's observation lounge.

I can understand the desire of TNG's writers to resist that tendency by downplaying Kirk's fame.

I think it reflected more of Roddenberry's feelings, who originally wanted no references to TOS of any kind ever, to the point of never showing any familiar races such as Klingons or Vulcans.

 

[Christopher]

I can't remember if anyone mentioned this, but two things from "Encounter at Farpoint..."

Deanna didn't just sense strong emotions, she felt them, to the point of blubbering like a baby when she sensed sadness and falling to the floor when feeling pain. That definitely would have gotten old fast.

When I brought back the space jellyfish in my novel Titan: Orion's Hounds, I rationalized this by saying that the jellies' emotions were so powerful that they overwhelmed Deanna. After all, they were giant creatures and would've had enormous brains and powerful nervous systems.

There was also a hint that Troi had taught Riker to hear Troi's thoughts, something that was never explored again.

That's another thing that's made something of a resurgence in the Titan novels. As a married couple, Riker and Troi have a strong empathic bond that sometimes allows them to read each other's thoughts.

I think it reflected more of Roddenberry's feelings, who originally wanted no references to TOS of any kind ever, to the point of never showing any familiar races such as Klingons or Vulcans.

Which was perfectly reasonable. He wanted the new show to stand on its own rather than be seen merely as a rehash.

 

[ultimateguinan]

Good storylines that reflect the true spirit of Star Trek...

 

[Bones2]

Good storylines that reflect the true spirit of Star Trek...

I don't often laugh out loud at things I read, but...

 

[JB2005]

I almost forgot Picard says in "Farpoint" printout only all stations all decks...where the hell are the printers?

"Printout only on all stations on all decks"
"Captain?"
"What is it Data?"
"The toner sir, won't arrive until Tuesday"

 

[Mike Ram]

-Bridge officers randomly commenting on things that were going on (especially Data and Geordi on conversations that were taking place over the main viewer).

-Data standing up from his chair just to talk to Picard, rather than turning around.

-Ugly Admiral uniforms, and the dress uniforms with the black leggings.

-White panels in engineering (instead of controls).

 

[Hober Mallow]

Good storylines that reflect the true spirit of Star Trek...

I don't often laugh out loud at things I read, but...

While I don't think there are many good episodes in the first season, I will say there is a sense of wonder and an intangible feeling of really being far in the future that I just don't get from the later episodes.

 

[RapidNadion]

Good call on the vast expanses of white countertop space in Engineering. To that I add: those clunky engineering barstools -see WNOHGB.) Also:

The square door corners (they were rounded via inserts later);

Those atrocious black cardboard squares directors used to tape over the aft science stations on the bridge to combat glare;

Geordi's "not too-efficient" electric razor

The red warning sticker(s) on the warp core (above dilithium chamber hatch)

The engineering MSD being used to display something other than the ship's profile

Picard calling Riker "RY-kah!"

Crusher calling Troi "Troi"

Worf having no place for sex in his life

The blinkies at the bottom of the viewscreen moving in toward the center, not out toward the sides

People exploding from phaser fire (till DS9's "Crossover," anyway)


Great thread, OP!

 

[Wil has a posse]

Good storylines that reflect the true spirit of Star Trek...

I don't often laugh out loud at things I read, but...

While I don't think there are many good episodes in the first season, I will say there is a sense of wonder and an intangible feeling of really being far in the future that I just don't get from the later episodes.

Agreed.

 

[Bad Atom]

Those atrocious black cardboard squares directors used to tape over the aft science stations on the bridge to combat glare;

I hated those. They looked cheaper than anything seen on TOS.

 

[eepruls]

Just watched "The Battle" in season 1 and Crusher comes into the ready room and calls Riker "Number One". It sounded so weird! I think that is the only time someone other than Picard calls him Number One. I know Crusher never did again.

 

[Trekker4747]

The press-board panels on the side of the bridge.



(Although, I guess they did show up again in the final episode, but since parts of that episode took place in Season 1... )

 

[Wil has a posse]

Those atrocious black cardboard squares directors used to tape over the aft science stations on the bridge to combat glare;

I hated those. They looked cheaper than anything seen on TOS.

If I remember correctly, TNG got a new lighting team in season 3. And thank the heavens, because the whole thing was lit like The Improv prior to that.

 

[ToddKent]

I see no reason why Picard should have exploded with fanboy giddiness at the sight of Kirk's name. If I remember correctly he was reading the data off the screen and was in a hurry to get the information. He was probably somewhat familiar with Kirk but there really wasn't a reason to point out to everyone else that he was familiar with him.

I agree with the poster who mentioned George Washington. Washington is so well known that there is no reason to point out that he is well known. I see Kirk being the same way to 24th century people.

For example if you are doing research and come across Washington's name you generally don't stop and say, "Washington, oh yes, I'm very familiar with him. He was the first president. I know all about him." You would just keep reading. The same rationale applies to Picard when he read Kirk's name.

 

[Cuhl]

Picard's weird nationalism, as he insisted that the order of red, white and blue was "more proper" in the French flag than in the American flag.