I wonder how those cliffhangers would have been had they been written and finalized in their entirety, before filming of the first part started. Probably we would have gotten less audacious part 1's , but smoother part 2's .
Poll Would it be better if TNG's later seasons didn't always end in a cliffhanger?
- Thread starter Unimatrix Q
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I have no issue with a season end cliffhanger, it doesn't mean things can't change. The conclusion could always include a major change (such as, if a cast member wanted to leave they could be killed off or announce they're transferring to a new posting after the [insert event here] is over), with the first stand alone episode introducing the audience to the new normal. All it takes is a little imaginative writing (and some delicate contract negotiations) to incorporate changes into an episode or two at the beginning of a new season, that could make big changes.
Interestingly they usually kept continuity with the cliffhangers as far as Troi's appearance went. For example she keeps her season 6 hair for Descend Part II and the first couple episodes of Season 7 and only then changes to her season 7 look. The same is true for Best of both Worlds II and Family and such.
In general I don't mind the cliffhangers in TNG, but I think they got a bit clumsy by the time of Voyager, where they'd forget plot threads or make hasty rewrites between the season-ending cliffhangers and their conclusion at the start of the next season.
In general I don't mind the cliffhangers in TNG, but I think they got a bit clumsy by the time of Voyager, where they'd forget plot threads or make hasty rewrites between the season-ending cliffhangers and their conclusion at the start of the next season.
I do find it funny that the PTB of Voyager thought that audiences would have issues following ongoing plots or stories but constantly had cliffhangers.
I hadn't considered this question before. I do think some of the season finales/openers had lacking second halves, though truthfully even "The Best of Both Worlds Part 2" was also a letdown. That's one episode I wish they had made into a three-parter. I thought DS9 and ENT used three-part episodes to great effect.
I would've been fine with "Time's Arrow" especially being one episode. It didn't feel like that story was big enough to deserve two parts. "Descent" also was underwhelming even though there were a lot of things about the second half I did like like Crusher as captain, the rivalry between Taitt and Barnaby and Lore was always a fun villain. When I think about it, I think "Redemption" was the most satisfying two-part finale/opener for me.
I would've been fine with "Time's Arrow" especially being one episode. It didn't feel like that story was big enough to deserve two parts. "Descent" also was underwhelming even though there were a lot of things about the second half I did like like Crusher as captain, the rivalry between Taitt and Barnaby and Lore was always a fun villain. When I think about it, I think "Redemption" was the most satisfying two-part finale/opener for me.
As an overall coherent narrative, I'd probably have to rewatch the episodes, but I think I may agree that "Redemption" holds up better than BOBW. By which I mean that I feel BOBW I sets up some things that BOBW II kind of sets aside, whereas "Redemption" has smoother story flow.
BOBW P2 really does lose something compared to the first part, pretty much right from the start of the episode where they have to charge the deflector weapon--working that into the end of P1 might've given the opening at least more impact:
SHELBY: At least consult with Starfleet Command. Get Admiral Hanson on subspace--
RIKER: Belay that order, Lieutenant. There's no time. Geordi, charge the deflector. Prepare to fire.
LA FORGE: Aye sir.
WORF: Sir, we are being hailed by the Borg.
RIKER: On screen.
LOCUTUS: I am Locutus of Borg. Resistance is futile. Your life as it has been is over. From this time forward, you will service us.
LA FORGE: Deflector power approaching maximum limits. Sir, we have to discharge the energy within the next six seconds!
RIKER: Mister Worf. Fire.
So when P2 starts it is the E-D unleashing her big gun without the build up that lacks any real sense of tension, so it takes us straight into the action. Whilst it wouldn't fix the whole episode it would at least kick things off with a bang.
SHELBY: At least consult with Starfleet Command. Get Admiral Hanson on subspace--
RIKER: Belay that order, Lieutenant. There's no time. Geordi, charge the deflector. Prepare to fire.
LA FORGE: Aye sir.
WORF: Sir, we are being hailed by the Borg.
RIKER: On screen.
LOCUTUS: I am Locutus of Borg. Resistance is futile. Your life as it has been is over. From this time forward, you will service us.
LA FORGE: Deflector power approaching maximum limits. Sir, we have to discharge the energy within the next six seconds!
RIKER: Mister Worf. Fire.
So when P2 starts it is the E-D unleashing her big gun without the build up that lacks any real sense of tension, so it takes us straight into the action. Whilst it wouldn't fix the whole episode it would at least kick things off with a bang.
I hadn't considered that, because in my mind I still think of it as one big movie. BOBW 2 was definitely a letdown for me. I get the budget constraints for not depicting the Battle of Wolf 359, but boy did I want to see that. I was stoked when we got a glimpse of it in DS9's "Emissary". I was hoping when they re-released BOBW in theaters a few years back, I think in promotion of the Blu-Ray, that they would splice in "Emissary" or throw in some new content.
BOBW 2 just couldn't match the edge of your seat thrills of the first part, and while the acting was quite good, it just lacked the punch. As much as I liked Patrick Stewart and was happy to see him back, there is a part of me that would've liked to have seen Riker as captain and Shelby as first officer. I loved their interplay. Perhaps it could've just been half a season or all of season 4, and then bring Picard back in Season 5 or 6, or maybe just have Picard take much longer to recuperate. Shelby was a great character and it's a shame they never brought her back.
Looking back, as much as I love TNG I think they could've shaken things up a bit more down the stretch. I also liked the idea of Tom Riker replacing Will, and Data becoming first officer. If they had done that I think it would've more organically set up the Picard & Data fests of the TNG movies and Star Trek: Picard while also allowing for Riker and Troi's romance to rekindle even more organically.
Redemption could have just ended on Worf leaving without a cliffhanger and no Sela, who could have been saved for a later storyline, along with the "Data gets his own command story". The best part about Descent's ending to me was Beverly being given the captaincy but it has to contrive both Picard and Riker out of the way, so if they'd amped up the situation to be more life or death (maybe with Picard still captured but Riker injured) and Beverly wasn't just asked but had to take command that might have made things more tense and been a cool way to go out. Times Arrow was a spooky ending to me and for a long time was the end of TNG to me because my video shop didn't have any more VHS tapes past this point so I just assumed the show was over. BOBW I watched as a movie on one VHS tape. It still had credits in between except the first episode ended after the deflector weapon was fired and failed. Roll End Credits. I assumed that's the way everyone watched it for a long time and still kinda like it that way because it's more like a DS9 ending where it's not an absence of knowing what's happening next but actually given that knowledge and wondering how they'll deal with it.
Basically, cliffhangers were an okay idea but not executed the best.
Basically, cliffhangers were an okay idea but not executed the best.
Their cliffhangers were some of their best episodes.
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