20 replies to this topic

[sallah]

Being a die hard TOS fan, I've always just been more of a casual fan of the other series. Don't get me wrong....I've seen plenty of episdoes each series, but I know I've missed episodes here and there. So starting with TNG I'm going to watch every episode in order of each of the later series. I'm on disc 2 of TNG season 1 right now....and is it just me or are these episodes a little.....umm....rough? I've always heard that the first season was pretty tough to get through and I'm waiting for a bright spot, but I'm starting to feel discouraged already.

So please, somebody give me some hope! Tell me some shining first season episodes to look forward to here!

Sallah

[A Chimpanzee & 2 Trainees]

Except for the pilot, the only first season episode that I really liked was 11001001 (which I call c9, since it's the only way I can remember the digit sequence). Wish I could be more help, but honestly, I think except for the aforementioned 2, and "The Measure of a Man", and "Q-Who" from season 2, the first 2 seasons were pretty dreadful.

[JMW326]

I was a die hard TOS fan too and it took a little time to get caught up in TNG. Here are the stand outs for me from seasons 1 and 2. These are the ones that reminded me the most of TOS:

Season 1
"Datalore"
"Conspiracy"
"The Neutral Zone"

Season 2
"A Matter of Honor"
"Time Squared"
"Q Who?"

After that the episodes did start to get better and I started viewing the show as its own entity instead of comparing it to TOS. Here are my favorites from the rest of the seasons. As you can see there were more and more as the season went on.

Season 3
"The Survivors"
"Booby Trap"
"The Enemy"
"Yesterday's Enterprise"
"Allegiance"
"Sarek"
"The Best of Both Worlds" (Part 1)

Season 4
"The Best of Both Worlds" (Part 2)
"Brothers"
"Future Imperfect"
"The Wounded"
"Redemption" (Part 1)

Season 5
"Redemption" (Part 2)
"Unification" (Part 1)
"Unification" (Part 2)
"Conundrum"
"Cause and Effect"
"The Next Phase"
"The Inner Light"
"Time's Arrow" (Part 1)

Season 6
"Time's Arrow" (Part 2)
"Realm of Fear"
"Relics"
"Schisms"
"Chain of Command" (Part 1)
"Chain of Command" (Part 2)
"Tapestry"
"Birthright" (Part 1)
"Birthright" (Part 2)
"Starship Mine"
"The Chase"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"
"Descent" (Part 1)

Season 7
"Descent" (Part 2)
"Gambit" (Part 1)
"Gambit" (Part 2)
"Parallels"
"The Pegasus"
"Lower Decks"
"Thine Own Self"
"Eye of the Beholder"
"Genesis"

I hope that helps.

[kerowack]

I'm doing the same thing. I have all of TNG and DS9 on DVD and ready to be watched (DS9 for the first time ever) and those first two seasons were ROUGH. Even season 3 has a lot of misses (to me), but at least there were some REALLY good episodes during it. I'm halfway through season 4 and THIS is the TNG that I remember from 6th grade! I was wondering if the show had aged poorly or that I was entertained easier, but the first two seasons are a bit of a chore to get through (especially when I'm staring at seasons 4 and 5 and DS9 on the shelf).

The characters were very well done and established early, but they were given nothing great to work with. Rewatching the series for the first time since middle school and I have to say that Brent Spiner and Patrick Stewart are at the heart of my favorite episodes. I used to love Riker episodes as a kid (still do), but didn't realize how awesome Spiner's Data was until now. I can't imagine that character being played by any other actor. Worf, a character I didn't really like as a kid, has also surprised me. His episodes are great usually...

[DS9_Fan]

TNG season 1 & 2, like DS9 season 1 & 2, are really hard work. The Stand outs have been mentioned above but I would like to add Contagion to the list of season 2 episodes. A good solid Romulan episode! Stick with it though Sallah as come season 4 you'll be glad you did.

[sallah]

TNG season 1 & 2, like DS9 season 1 & 2, are really hard work. The Stand outs have been mentioned above but I would like to add Contagion to the list of season 2 episodes. A good solid Romulan episode! Stick with it though Sallah as come season 4 you'll be glad you did.

I'm pretty sure most of what I've seen is season 4 and up but I know there's some treasures in there I've probably missed, and there's a bunch I probably only saw when they originally aired so I have some treats in store!

Sallah

[Jedigreedo]

Personally, aside from episodes already mentioned I also liked season 1's episodes "The Battle," "Hide and Q," and "Skin of Evil."

[The_Donster]

Yeah, don't be easily discouraged Sallah. As others have pointed out, here and on various other forums throughout the years, all of the Trek Series start out rough after TOS. Trust me, there are some stand alone episodes and the actors weren't comfortable in their characters yet. By journies end all of the cast were really knew their parts and everything seems more natural. One can only imagine the pressure of each series that followed TOS and each succesful series. Not to take this too far off topic, but I actually enjoyed DS9 and Voyager from the start. Anyway, just try and sit back and relax, there have been some nice episodes that folks have recommended.

[s8film40]

I came at Star Trek the opposite way, I was a TNG fan first and had seen a few episodes of TOS here and there. I finally got the DVD set and watched them all. I have since re-watched all of TNG a few times, I've found that since familiarizing myself with TOS I enjoy the 1st and 2nd seasons more. I think once you can look past the lower production quality and poorer acting there are really some great stories in those first two seasons. Tasha always annoyed me and I was happy to see her go. I don't like Dr. Pulaski either but I guess that's the way her character was supposed to be. It really does build up from there.

Don't worry by the time you're done watching every episode, You'll be buying all the AA TNG stuff.

[VulcanFanatic]

You know, i really do like being able to watch series episodes at my own pace, as fast or as slow as you want to, and even go to the bathroom and still not miss any of the show. Maybe this makes me seem old to a lot of you here that have grown up having videos and DVD's but i didnt and it still seems like technology has jumped from the 60's to the 23rd century to me. I remember having a Black and White tv when i was small, and i was the remote control for my Dad. I never dreamed that we would ever be at a point of having all of the tv channels,video cassette's and DVD's that we have now. My children cant fathom a time without cell phones and movies on demand. Its only been the last couple of years that i have been carrying a cell phone myself, and i am still not that comfortable with it. I bought my first computer in 1999 and thought i had made a collossal leap in society but now that computer is at the bottom of the dung heap of technology. Anyway, getting back to TNG, i have rewatched all of TNG,DS9 and Voyager in the last couple of years and refreshing my memory of TNG was great, but i rediscovered DS9 and Voyager all over again, and had a great time watching the whole 7 years of each series and how good they really were in their own rights. I never kept up with DS9 and Voyager faithfully when they originally ran but dvd, vhs and the DVR really made it a very pleasant experience getting to know those shows all over again.

[BadBunnyMike]

I just did that over this last year or so, I watched everyone from start to end.

A Matter Of Honor was written by my old computer teacher Wanda Haight. I have an autographed copy of it =)

[Chalksquared]

I am not quite sure how TNG did not get cancelled early on because it truly was dreadful.

Season 3 is much better and after that it is all golden.

But just wait until "Shades of Gray", TNG's finest episode ever!

[Sybeck1]

I bought one of these months ago. With my schedule, I have gotten just to season 3. I have to admit, I find the the bajoran stuff a little boring. About DS9 season , when does the Dominion kick back up after episode two? After a good start, it seems to be slowing down again.

[DS9_Fan]

There are only small pockets of Dominion stuff in Season 3. Theres the odd episode here and there, and of course the great 2 parter Improbable Cause and The Die is Cast. Then you have to wait for the season Finale for more Dominion love. Season 5 see's the really start of the Dominion arc that takes you all the way to What you leave behind at the end of season 7.

[Gothneo]

TNG was still finding its way in season 1. Worf's Head always cracks me up... Doran seemed a bit skinny and the prosthetics made his head look a bit... well... "bobble headed"!

Gates (and the directors) hadn't figured out how to play the Dr. Crusher character...

Roddenberry was pushing the Wesley character as "Every boys dream to grow up on a starship" but the truth is most of us wanted him put out of his misery early on... and season 1 had the perfect opportunity to do it (in "Justice") but didn't follow through!

Troi looked hot in the 1st episode... but then they put her in that unflattering unitard with her hair up! Loved her in the Skirt with hair down!

Finally, in a sign that things weren't all great on the set that 1st year, Crosby wasn't happy with the direction of her role, so asked to be let out of her contract, and Roddenberry killed her character Yar off...

Season 2 is still rough as Gates takes the year off, and Pulaski is brought in... the good thing is the writers figure out (through Pulaski) how they should be writing Crusher... so when Gates returns in Season 3 It's a much stronger, and richer character.

The 1st 3 seasons are more important for the ground work they lay I think, but are non-the-less enjoyable to me.

I recall reading that team that re-mastered and updated the effects on TOS, said that the 1st few seasons of TNG would really benefit from the same treatment as the effects in those 1st few are pretty rough.

[TheHSBR]

After reading this I too started rewatching these epeisodes and yes they are slow but not any more or less slow than any of the other series like TOS or DS9. 2 summers ago I went through Enterprise and Voyager both of which to me moved fairly quickly despite the clunker every now and then. Maybe its the graphics and look of the show that catches my eye more than anything with those two. I went through DS9 last summer and that was very slow for a long time. Ive been trying to get through TOS season 1 for 3 years now but have a hard time staying awake during the episodes! Right now Im basically on Disc 4 of season one for TNG and there have already been some very good episodes. Datalore stands out in my mind to see a different side of Spiner. Its sad but every one of the Treks usually produce more stinkers & mediocre episodes in a given season than good episodes IMO but those good episodes are so amazing that its worth sitting through the rest!

[Thomas E. Johnson]

There are some good stories in the 1st 2 seasons of TNG once you get past the cast still being rough around the edges with there characters. "Justice" and "Measure Of A Man" come to mind immediately. Those were classic Roddenberry morality tales. I think the main reasons though for seasons 1&2 being ranked as they are is because they couldn't keep a consistent writing staff on hand, and Gene's health was so poor that he couldn't oversee everything like he had hoped. The stories where he participated in directly are really good. When season 3 started, Gene was far to ill to preform his job, and turned over control to Rick Berman and the late Michael Piller, and by that time they had gotten a steady staff of solid writers in place.

[sallah]

Well, I'm halfway through season 1 now...I'm watching The Big Goodbye right now...Since I've always been a fan of Dixon Hill, I'm enjoying this one. Other than that, the only real standout has been The Battle. The real stinkeroos for me have been Haven and Justice, which were really rough to get through...

I'm chugging along.

Sallah

[gotham_knight]

Well, I'm halfway through season 1 now...I'm watching The Big Goodbye right now...Since I've always been a fan of Dixon Hill, I'm enjoying this one. Other than that, the only real standout has been The Battle. The real stinkeroos for me have been Haven and Justice, which were really rough to get through...

I'm chugging along.

Sallah

A lot of the early episodes are a bit meh, but then they have to build the characters personas up, it only gets really good once youve got to know the characters a bit better. I personally liked the first few seasons but the last ones are by far the best.

[Thomas E. Johnson]

Well, I'm halfway through season 1 now...I'm watching The Big Goodbye right now...Since I've always been a fan of Dixon Hill, I'm enjoying this one. Other than that, the only real standout has been The Battle. The real stinkeroos for me have been Haven and Justice, which were really rough to get through...

I'm chugging along.

Sallah

I liked "Justice." I thought it was a good thought provoking story.