Jeez
To those around when TNG first aired: what did you think of it?
- Thread starter MikHutch
- Start date
Jeez
I was overjoyed. It took 3 years to probably overtake my passion for TOS. I counted myself as a fan the second it appeared on my screen.
Hoo, boy, to say it was a rough start is an understatement. Season 1 was mostly awful. "Encounter at Farpoint" had a few good moments but sadly far too many cringe-inducing moments (e.g., "... Great joy and gratitude..."). The less said about the next two episodes, the better, and so on. Season 2 got better, but I didn't think it got acceptably better until, say, "Unnatural Selection." S3 is when it became consistently good, and happily some TNG episodes are among Star Trek's finest.
I remember being really excited that we were getting new Star Trek. I watched every episode.
I was enthusiastic about it from the beginning, but it was quite a few episodes before I felt that the stories were comparable to some of the better TOS episodes. The visuals and design were always great, and if there were some stray continuity issues with the original series I didn't care.
I looked forward to it every week. Data was my favorite character, followed by Picard and then by the others at a bit of a distance. Didn't much care for Yar, wasn't sorry when Worf replaced her. Didn't like the stand-in doctor in the second year.
There were a couple of episodes in the second year that I found really frustrating as storytelling - frustrating as in "how dumb an audience are you writing to?"
I looked forward to it every week. Data was my favorite character, followed by Picard and then by the others at a bit of a distance. Didn't much care for Yar, wasn't sorry when Worf replaced her. Didn't like the stand-in doctor in the second year.
There were a couple of episodes in the second year that I found really frustrating as storytelling - frustrating as in "how dumb an audience are you writing to?"
yes, Troi, the Commander Obvious of Star Trek.
i definitely think TNG had some of the lowest lows during those first 2 seasons. ironic how they wanted to move away from 60s corniness yet some of that didn't age any better
I remember being excited but also remember being disappointed that the opening credits borrowed from TOS (style) and TMP(music) instead of doing something new.
Me and my friends at the time also mocked Wesley's early prominence with rounds of 'Danger, Wesley Crusher, danger!' every time he saved the day.
It is the show though that led me to learn how to program the record function on my VCR.
Me and my friends at the time also mocked Wesley's early prominence with rounds of 'Danger, Wesley Crusher, danger!' every time he saved the day.
It is the show though that led me to learn how to program the record function on my VCR.
Was not impressed but tried. Q put me off and Picard shooting himself was top much.
A friend helped me enjoy here and there episodes but I never warmed to it like TOS. But, I have a large soft spot for All Good Things, Pegasus, First Duty, and The Game, among others.
A friend helped me enjoy here and there episodes but I never warmed to it like TOS. But, I have a large soft spot for All Good Things, Pegasus, First Duty, and The Game, among others.
I remember hiring out the 1st few episodes on VHS and I just didn't like it. It wasn't Kirk and Spock etc.
I don't think I watched it again until I saw in the paper the episode title 'Yesterday's Enterprise' on BBC. Hoping it might be Kirk etc I tuned.in, disappointed it wasn't but I really enjoyed it.
I watched regularly then and I'm sure my memory isn't Faulty but I'm sure the best of both worlds was shown in its entirety as part of Season 3 rather than a cliffhanger.
It then moved to Sky and was on every day and I watched religiously every episode, when it got to the end of season 3 it started again so I watched them all again this time it continued to Season 4 and onwards.
I struggled with DS9 at first too, probably because it was different but it ended up being my favourite trek.
I don't think I watched it again until I saw in the paper the episode title 'Yesterday's Enterprise' on BBC. Hoping it might be Kirk etc I tuned.in, disappointed it wasn't but I really enjoyed it.
I watched regularly then and I'm sure my memory isn't Faulty but I'm sure the best of both worlds was shown in its entirety as part of Season 3 rather than a cliffhanger.
It then moved to Sky and was on every day and I watched religiously every episode, when it got to the end of season 3 it started again so I watched them all again this time it continued to Season 4 and onwards.
I struggled with DS9 at first too, probably because it was different but it ended up being my favourite trek.
I recall an interview with Stewart during First Contact where he said that during the first season, he basically lived out of his suitcase (didn't unpack) because he was sure the show would die after 1 season and he'd be back home.
haha I also heard Ian McKellen warned him against taking the role
Liked it well enough. Had Trekkie friends over to watch. Bought a TON of L-750 and L-830 Betamax tapes (I had a connection for industrial tapes) and recorded five eps per tape at Beta III speed. Don't remember how many seasons I got before Beta went away and had to switch to VHS.
Here in the UK, TNG's Encounter at Farpoint premiered on 26th September 1990.
I was eleven years old and I had seen the TOS movies 1-4 on terrestrial TV. TNG was shown at 6pm, the same time slot as previously given to Buck Rogers, Battlestar Galactica and The Man From Uncle on BBC2. I loved these junky Sci-Fi shows at the time and was super excited for TNG.
I sat and watched it with my Dad, who liked the original series. I remember that he said there was no way they'd maintain that quality of VFX after the pilot episode (he was wrong). I was blown away by the production design, it seemed so futuristic and forward thinking. Even the bits that make me cringe now, I thought were cool, like the stardrive separation sequence.
As the show went on, we carried on watching and I remember when I was 15, rushing my paper round to get back for it. The show felt modern and progressive, my Dad complained about things like 'where no one' has gone before and said things like 'it was trying too hard'.
I found TNG to be a crutch. I loved the sense of family, I loved the sense that these were scientists exploring - something I wish the show would revert back to now. My overwhelming feeling is how 'new' and futuristic TNG seemed and how emotional some of its stories were and looking back, how well grounded the show was - it had its own set of rules that were clearly understood.
BBC2 was the home of Star Trek in the UK until Enterprise aired. It even had it's own Star Trek evenings. Here's a rather dated trailer:
Embarrassing it may be, but I wanted to be Wesley Crusher flying the ship. I remember really liking the character that my Dad hated!
I was eleven years old and I had seen the TOS movies 1-4 on terrestrial TV. TNG was shown at 6pm, the same time slot as previously given to Buck Rogers, Battlestar Galactica and The Man From Uncle on BBC2. I loved these junky Sci-Fi shows at the time and was super excited for TNG.
I sat and watched it with my Dad, who liked the original series. I remember that he said there was no way they'd maintain that quality of VFX after the pilot episode (he was wrong). I was blown away by the production design, it seemed so futuristic and forward thinking. Even the bits that make me cringe now, I thought were cool, like the stardrive separation sequence.
As the show went on, we carried on watching and I remember when I was 15, rushing my paper round to get back for it. The show felt modern and progressive, my Dad complained about things like 'where no one' has gone before and said things like 'it was trying too hard'.
I found TNG to be a crutch. I loved the sense of family, I loved the sense that these were scientists exploring - something I wish the show would revert back to now. My overwhelming feeling is how 'new' and futuristic TNG seemed and how emotional some of its stories were and looking back, how well grounded the show was - it had its own set of rules that were clearly understood.
BBC2 was the home of Star Trek in the UK until Enterprise aired. It even had it's own Star Trek evenings. Here's a rather dated trailer:
Embarrassing it may be, but I wanted to be Wesley Crusher flying the ship. I remember really liking the character that my Dad hated!
We were excited to have Trek on TV again. I'd grown up on watching TOS with my dad, & we've made a tradition of seeing all the movies in their original theater run. I remember thinking that it was such a waste having Shatner on TJ Hooker when they could be capitalizing on the Trek movie franchise with a new show.
When TNG came around we were like "finally!" But then we heard it was all new people & the only ones I'd even heard of was the guy from Roots & the kid from Stand By Me, and frankly that was less than impressive imho.
Then it began airing, & brother... it was a rough go for a while there. I think the only thing that appealed to me at all was the idea of having an android on board. Fortunately, they had some good backing, which kept shows in production longer back in those days. Plus, the new tech look of the show, that tried to emulate the movies, was pretty exciting for the time. So we stuck with it, figuring it would improve... And it did!
When TNG came around we were like "finally!" But then we heard it was all new people & the only ones I'd even heard of was the guy from Roots & the kid from Stand By Me, and frankly that was less than impressive imho.
Then it began airing, & brother... it was a rough go for a while there. I think the only thing that appealed to me at all was the idea of having an android on board. Fortunately, they had some good backing, which kept shows in production longer back in those days. Plus, the new tech look of the show, that tried to emulate the movies, was pretty exciting for the time. So we stuck with it, figuring it would improve... And it did!
I got a copy of Star Trek IV for Christmas in 1986 and one of the trailers at the beginning of the tape was for TNG. This was the first time I had heard there would be a new show and I was insanely excited, and to this day I still remember watching the pilot in the living room of the house I grew up in. I was an instant fan and TNG remains my favourite Trek series to this day.
I had seen him in that role, but hadn't really put it together that's who he was until much later. Frakes had been around in similar capacities on primetime soaps but I had never seen any of it
In fact, it was my dad who recognized Levar Burton. I'd never really watched Roots. I was only like 6 when it came out. Shortly after, I figured out his Reading Rainbow gig, which I had seen him do, but with the visor it was a tough deduction to make. I came to recognize Stewart from Dune, some time later as well.
Honestly, I can only claim to have initially known Wheaton from previous work, when the show debuted
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