TNG: will I ever like it?

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

After watching all of TOS, TAS, ENT, VOY and DS9 through with my 13 year old we are finally getting to TNG. The last dvd series I have to buy. The last because I never was a fan though I have seen it all.

We are starting with season 3 because I have owned season 2 for a while and he's seen that and because I couldn't find season 1 in any shop. Good, I thought, I know season 1 is not considered the best so I will be able to get into it with season 3.

It is SO BORING. And slow. And preachy. And bland. I was watching the scene in Evolution where Picard and Crusher talk about Wesley growing to be a man and I just about gagged. I've watched a few more since then.. the Q one had that great Worf line but still all that endless wankery about "what it means to be human". I can't stand that stuff.

I'm going to force myself to watch it all because of the important Trek history that TNG has given us. Introduction of the Borg. Klingon internecine politics. And plenty of other good stuff that future series built on.

Lucky for me the kid likes it.

Is there anyone else in the universe who lists TNG as their least favorite series? I feel like I'm some weird heretic finding it so unpalatable. And I'm a TOS fan from the 70's, it's not like I just discovered Trek with DS9.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

After watching all of TOS, TAS, ENT, VOY and DS9 threw with my 13 year old we are finally getting to TNG. The last dvd series I have to buy. The last because I never was a fan though I have seen it all.

We are starting with season 3 because I have owned season 2 for a while and he's seen that and because I couldn't find season 1 in any shop. Good, I thought, I know season 1 is not considered the best so I will be able to get into it with season 3.

It is SO BORING. And slow. And preachy. And bland. I was watching the scene in Evolution where Picard and Crusher talk about Wesley growing to be a man and I just about gagged. I've watched a few more since then.. the Q one had that great Worf line but still all that endless wankery about "what it means to be human". I can't stand that stuff.

I'm going to force myself to watch it all because of the important Trek history that TNG has given us. Introduction of the Borg. Klingon internecine politics. And plenty of other good stuff that future series built on.

Lucky for me the kid likes it.

Is there anyone else in the universe who lists TNG as their least favorite series? I feel like I'm some weird heretic finding it so unpalatable. And I'm a TOS fan from the 70's, it's not like I just discovered Trek with DS9.

teacake,

You are not alone...

I feel the same way about TNG....(Although, I do admit, there are a few episodes I like).

 

[Leroy]

I used to like it a lot but lately I've become more burnt out on TNG I think I prefer shows that change and grow like DS9 and also have a darker tone. I also think TOS has better chemistry between the characters and has a less overbloated sense of morality I don't hate TNG mind you most of my fondness for it is nostalgia more than anything else.

 

[StardustSteph]

In the past year or so I had rewatched all the series and out of order like you. I started with VOY and then went to DS9. I started with TNG Season 1 and I couldn't do it. It dragged and was boring and dated to me. I then skipped to Season 3 which is where you are starting and found it the same boring, but I decided to keep on watching. It does get better and I finished the series and rather enjoyed it.

It isn't my favorite series DS9 is with TNG and VOY in a tie for second. I'd give it a chance because in the end I'm glad I watched the series.

 

[RoJoHen]

I love TNG, but I must admit it hasn't aged particularly well, especially the first couple seasons. These days, it's a show I sometimes enjoy seeing a random episode of, but I would probably get really bored if I tried to marathon through the whole thing.

 

[Tribbles]

The fact that I caught snippets of TNG with my dad as a child was one of the things that kept me away from Star Trek until the release of the new movie.

My childhood memories depict it as something that was... cold. It was that gray show with the bald guy. Occasionally there would be something unusual looking that would catch my attention, but ultimately, the show never kept it. Granted, I was just a little girl, but I tend to think I would have been more enraptured had it been TOS I was stealing glimpses from. I was smitten with fantasy and sci-fi early on, but I never did get into TNG.

 

[Finn]

Excuse me. One thing struck me about the first post. It seemed to imply the OP enjoyed Voyager more than TNG. Is that the case?

 

[Chrisisall]

Real Trek = Kirk & Spock.
Do not presume to debate me.

 

[startrekwatcher]

TNG is my favorite Trek show. It might not have had the big epic storylines of DS9 or ENT but I loved its more intimate stories. I enjoyed all the characters--I didn't find any of them boring. The show was great from season 3-6. It had a nice variety of story types unlike a lot of episodic television where everything is the same stale formula every week.

TNG gave us high concept sci-fi outings as well as nicely done character pieces. I also liked its hopeful view of the future.

 

[RoJoHen]

Excuse me. One thing struck me about the first post. It seemed to imply the OP enjoyed Voyager more than TNG. Is that the case?

I know I did.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I liked TNG okay till I saw DS9. Since you've seen DS9 first, you will NEVER EVER like TNG.

 

[RoJoHen]

I liked TNG okay till I saw DS9. Since you've seen DS9 first, you will NEVER EVER like TNG.

TNG is just a lot more talking and a lot less action than DS9, VOY, or ENT. It's a fine show on its own, but if you're comparing it to any of its successors, it's definitely a lot more bland.

I still love it because I grew up watching those characters, but I would have a hard time getting into it now of I hadn't watched it before.

 

[mattyhugh]

I'm currently in the middle of working my way through TNG. Not going to lie, the first two seasons were rough. But now I'm in the middle of Season Five and its mostly what I remember. However being a larger DS9 fan and having matched it more on DVD I kind of miss the arc verses episodic format. But TNG along with the TOS movies is what trek I grew up with. So I may be nostalgic for TNG.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Excuse me. One thing struck me about the first post. It seemed to imply the OP enjoyed Voyager more than TNG. Is that the case?

I enjoyed it 10,000 times more.

I love TNG, but I must admit it hasn't aged particularly well, especially the first couple seasons. These days, it's a show I sometimes enjoy seeing a random episode of, but I would probably get really bored if I tried to marathon through the whole thing.

Yeah.. I'm having trouble with the long marathon ahead. I've seen it on video years ago. Now DS9 I have marathoned through from start to finish 3 times, Voy 3 times and ENT currently on my 3rd marathon through. TOS I have seen more times than I could count (though I did keep count in my little geeky notebook on such matters as a teenager, LOL). Just reading the DS9 forum the other day made me want to marathon through it again!

 

[Ereb]

While Picard and Data are my 2 favorite characters, as a series I liked TOS and DS9 more. However I would still place TNG above Voyager, Enterprise, and TNG movies.

Voyager's characters just annoyed me. Kes was far more annoying than Wesley, Jainway, while trying to always have the moral highground, just seemed like she was looking down on everyone. And 7 of 9 and her damn nano probes was so overused.

 

[Arpy]

teacake, no you probably never will. It is my favorite series.

 

[ALF]

If you don't like it now, you never will.

I was going into junior high when it came on. My friends and I had our collective minds blown. It was just incredible to have that much awesome to look forward to on the weekends.

In a different time/place, with another age group, demographic, who knows? TV has come a long way from the 80s... people say that TNG is too boring and maybe that's true. I don't find it any less awesome, though. When I watch it I can still feel like I'm in high school again.

 

[RoJoHen]

In a different time/place, with another age group, demographic, who knows? TV has come a long way from the 80s... people say that TNG is too boring and maybe that's true. I don't find it any less awesome, though. When I watch it I can still feel like I'm in high school again.

Nostalgia definitely helps.

 

[bbailey861]

While I don't 'dislike' TNG, it certainly isn't my favorite. I was very, very happy when it came on - probably because of the time span between series. As I recall, I really enjoyed the series when it was on. I certainly remember that it became vastly better following the writers strike of the second season. I find now, though, that I am tired of TNG, the series. It may have a lot to do with the saturation level it has on TV, perhaps the abundance of preaching, even maybe the lack of 'growth' of the charactors - most likely a bit of each. Don't get me wrong, there are some really excellent episodes in TNG, I'm just tired of it and find myself turning the channel when I come across it. My first love is TOS, and I am currently rewatching DS9 - both of which are far better IMHO. Regarding TNG, while I am tired of the series as broadcast, I am not tired of the books, in fact, I am grateful for the books. They remain exciting primarily because they are not bound by the constraints that network TV had/has. I like the direction it has headed in and I find myself genuinely interested in 'what's going to happen next'. Anyway, that's my '2 cents'. If nothing else, enjoy the time you spend with your 13 year old. That alone is worth the whole thing.

 

[Nardpuncher]

I find that TNG has a place in my heart because I watched it from ages 13 to 20, original run, so I have fond memories of that time in my life along with the episodes of TNG from that week.

But the OP thinkin VOY is 10,000 times better? Oh my!