TED 406 W, you make some good points in your trashing of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It is true that TNG has some flaws. But it is not the utter disaster that you make it out to be. I have two rebuttals. First, have you seen the second season of TNG? Many of your complaints of TNG really only apply to the first season. In the second season, Dr. Crusher has been replaced by Dr. Pulaski, who some maintain is an attempt to recreate Dr. McCoy from The Original Series (TOS). Most people want Dr. Crusher back, from what I hear. Trying to simply transfer characters from TOS to TNG just doesn't work. You can't create chemistry between characters, like the Kirk-Spock-McCoy bond. That comraderie developed over a period of three seasons. And it will develop in TNG. Now about Wesley, The second season Wesley is much different from first season Wesley. During the first season, he was a spoiled, precocious brat who seemed to always have a hand in saving the ship. In the second season he's been toned down quite a bit. He's more an adolescent boy struggling to grow up. And I think that is a change for the better. Natasha Yar has been killed off, which you should be happy about, because Worf is now in charge of Security. LaForge is now Chief Engineer, so out the window goes your complaint about a Chief Engineer who doesn't care. Having lightweight villains is, I suppose, more of a judgment call, but I think that the Romulans and the Borg are pretty heavyweight enemies.
As to your complaints about the Enterprise's new design, it's so similar to the old design that I'm not sure what you're talking about. Remember, the old Enterprise could saucer-seperate also, although they never showed it. And if you really think that Harcourt Fenton Mudd was more threatening than Q, you must have a very warped memory of The Original Series. Which brings me to my second rebuttal.
The Original Series is twenty years old and finished. Done. Over. We can look back at it as a whole, and see what happened. Unfortunately, the tendancy is to worship the great aspects and bury the awful pa
The Original Series is twenty years old and finished. Done. Over. We can look back at it as a whole, and see what happened. Unfortunately, the tendancy is to worship the great aspects and bury the awful parts. Now, I love The Original Series, but I'll try to be objective. You want to talk about characters on TNG? Okay, let's contrast them with TOS. What can we say about Lt. Uhura? "Hailing frequencies open, sir" What depth. So much better than anyone on TNG! How about Chekov (who didn't appear until second season)? Nice authentic Russian accent there. "Course laid in, sir." "Deflectors up, sir." So much better than anyone on TNG. How about Scotty, who works miracles on every episode. Always repairs those engines just in time to save the ship. Not too much like Wesley (first season). Then there's McCoy, who is constantly standing on the bridge sparring with Spock. The Chief Medical officer is vital on the bridge, right? "I'm a doctor, not a -------." And let's not forget Spock, who's characterization hadn't even settled down until midway through the first season. Remember him shouting orders on the bridge? Smiling? And I'm not talking about the pilot episode, either. And finally, Kirk. What a guy. What a role model. What a womanizer. How did he advance through the ranks so quickly anyhow? Certainly not by following any rules. But as long as it works out in the end, right? The ends justify the means, for him. Now let's move on from the characters to the plots. Hmmmm, real quality writing here! Let's pretend it's 1966 and we're about to watch Star Trek for the first time. First season, first episode: The Man Trap. Good lord, hide the salt shakers! Then Charlie X. And short skirts and faceless people. Just don't laugh at him! Next, Where No Man Has Gone Before. Certainly one of
the best episodes. But what's going on here! Where's McCoy? Who's Mitchell? What the heck is this energy barrier
the best episodes. But what's going on here! Where's McCoy? Who's Mitchell? What the heck is this energy barrier? Doesn't this show have any scientific consultants? Fourth episode, the Naked Time. "I'll take you home again, Kathleen..." "Love Mankind" And Scotty saves the ship. Is this science fiction or comedy? My point in looking at these episodes from the original point of view is that when Star Trek first aired, it was as mixed up and flawed as The Next Generation is now. The reason we forget about the flaws in TOS is that the show rose above those flaws and is now remembered for the good times. Each individual show had flaws and there were a lot of inconsistencies from episode to episode, but as a whole, we grew to love it. And at the time, what was there to compare Star Trek to? Lost in Space? But now we have these high expectations of The Next Generation, and we constantly compare it to The Original Series. If we do that, it will never live up to its predecessor. If we look for flaws, we will find them. I'd wager that if TNG had been on in 1966, and Kirk and company were on right now, we'd be holding up Kirk, Spock, and McCoy to intense comparison and they'd fall short.
Remember everyone, although I've kinda bashed The Original Series, I still love it. I've simply tried to place things in their proper perspective. When TNG is finished, 20 years from now, people will watch it in reruns every night, and love the great shows, and laugh at the bad shows, just like we do today with TOS. Perspective, use it or lose it!
(.txt)