I've watched each season of any Star Trek show more times than I can remember. The Next Generation was a show I rejected at first but with every time I watch it I embrace it more and more.
Yes, there are a lot of things debatable about the premiere season in terms of quality of the writing, continuity errors, character developement, actors performances to name a few. It is easy to critisize after the fact and with many years now gone. And even I am the first to admit that there are many cringe worthy or eye rolling moments in this first season. But remember, althought they had the original show to base it upon, they literally started with a white sheet of paper. Especially with the characters.
I also like to write a few words about the remastered HD version as I was initially oposed to that. Having now seen it I have to say it really looks great. The special effects are what most benefitted from the overhaul. They look much more crisp and detailed now. In general the picture looks great and I am amazed what they got out of the original source material. A minor negative is that the picture background looks very grainy at times especially if you're sitting close to your screen, whereas the important foreground is almost always amazingly clear. It also gets grainy when there is camera movement whereas static shots are really the best. But that is not really a downside. Brilliant and vibrant colours.
It is now easy to read the screens (which I did ocasionally). At the same time it is also easier to spot minor imperfections on the sets and props plus you sometimes spot the egdes of the make-up on characters. And it becomes really obvious now when a stunt double was used. But those are all not really flaws, nevertheless I thought I share this remarks.
I have to say that there is no episode here that particularly stands out. I don't really like the encounters with Q either, but they are still the most interesting thing here. Still, not bad. You have to get to know the characters first and you get a good impression of their character.
Theme- 8/10
Rewatchibility- 3.5/10
Acting- 7/10
Kinematography- 7.5/10
Time- 6/10
Total - 32/5 = 6.4
And so it begins. The Next Generation I would say starts with a season that for my tastes is nearly as good as the best season of the original series. Nothing that particularly stands out but is mostly consistent in its performance. Wesley is a little challenging to like, though I would say most of the characters challenged me in the likability department. I do find the use of the holodeck in place of 'We've found a planet like Earth' cliche a vast improvement and I see potential in what is to come from this series. I hope it to make a Trekkie of me before I'm done.
"Top" 3 Episodes:
1. Home Soil
2. Coming of Age
3. Conspiracy
It's the worst of all TNG seasons. This is excused. Writers needed time to figure out what to do with the characters and setting. But compared to TOS which I watched last year for the first time, this is gold given the task to quickly produce 25 episodes each year. Most episodes are quite okay-ish. A welcome rebirth of the franchise that was dead in the water. It looks good. In fact, due to the remastered version it looks better than ever. I have watched this show multiple times but I'm still excited. Most episodes still work although you know the end.
I gave it a 6/10. It's better than mediocre. That's why they produced another season. Is this a totally unbiased rating? No. I'm a fan. The neutral critic would probably rate it worse. Especially since the season doesn't tell a coherent connected story. But hey, that's why every rating in Trakt seems to be too positive. People tend to watch the genre or the shows they are already fond of, while people who dislike somewhat cheesy Sci-Fi don't watch the show in the first place or won't rate it.
The sets (as limited they are in season one) feature a timeless design. The potential of the holodeck addition is obvious. Actors are great. From episode one onwards you feel that they harmonize well. They all have the potential to grow and even Deanna, who is remarkably useless in season one, already shows potential that exceeds the limits of her assigned role (which is displaying t&a and telling us how people feel w/o the need to convey this by the means of acting). It's not yet the TNG I love but many things that make TNG great are already there. In miniscule portions, though. But we already get an idea of Riker's and Picard's extraordinary leadership skills, about Picard's intellect, about Data's aspirations, about Wesley's destiny (although he's obviously an annoying dork) and so forth. And we already learn that writers don't shy away from discussing social or philosophical issues. We also learn that writers and some actors have some talent for comedy.
Best episode: Datalore. My guilty pleasure: the fun episode The Big Goodbye and Hide and Q.
Shout by Dann MichalskiBlockedParent2019-09-09T13:00:25Z
Star Trek returns to television with a new look and a new cast in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Set nearly 80-years after the original series, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D continue the mission "to seek out new life and new civilizations." But unlike the original, the cast is more of an ensemble and more diverse. Yet, the show tries pretty hard to be the old Star Trek and ends up being a little too campy. Still, there are some standout episodes such as "The Big Goodbye" and "Datalore." Additionally, the series' visual style includes some interesting set designs and alien makeup effects. Though it's off to a bit of a weak start, Season 1 of Star Trek: The Next Generation shows promise.