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Post by Joe on Oct 30, 2003 20:35:12 GMT -5
I've never been a big Star Trek fan...I couldn't stand the original series, nor any of the movies with that cast, or Deep Space Nine/Voyager/Enterprise...
BUT...
I really like Star Trek: The Next Generation...I can't explain it, but there's something about that show that has a lot of mainstream appeal...Maybe it's the acting or the storylines, but there's something about it that really is fun...
I've seen a number of episodes...My favorite's the last episode, "All Good Things"...That's seriously one of the best television episodes (of any show) period...It would make my top 10 most likely...
So what is it, Star Trek fans, that makes the Next Generation better then the others? Or at least more mainstream then the others...
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Post by DeepSPace9 on Oct 30, 2003 20:45:34 GMT -5
Actually Joe, what it is is the fact that it was the first Star Trek series since the original to air.
It also had a cast that had a primary member in just about every age demographic as well. It had Wesley for the teen market, it had Troi(with revealing uniform), Beverly for the 23-35 demographic, the two key demographics a show needs. Also they made the Captain, not appear to be weak, willing to fight wen provoked, but not to Kirkish, and they always teased the Picard/Crusher relationship throughout the series, which in itself was a great continuing story for the show. Also there was so much new and exciting stuff that the show did, and they never relied to heavilly on TOS for help(except for first season where alot of episodes came about from TOS).
Also it was never on a network per say, instead released into syndication, thus ratings NEVER came into play for it, thus also allowing it to stay on far longer than it would have if it had been on a network.
The ratings for the first 3 seasons were decent at best, but it wouldn't have made the cut on most networks, yet because it was on in syndication, it meant that shows could be shown at any time the stations that aired them would please.
Around the middle of the 4th season, the ratings on every station that aired it usually had the #1 in that timeslot that NBC actually offered them a 2 year deal, but they turned them down because they feared that NBC would hurt them(and I agree wqith that as well).
DS9 was almost cancelled in the 2nd season because of ratings(it was on a network(WGN), but they managed to improve to the point where WGN wanted to go into an 8th season.
More than likely, you will never see another Star Trek show on a network(UPN does not count as a network) channel because of the successes of TNG.
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xkamelx
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Post by xkamelx on Oct 30, 2003 20:57:17 GMT -5
Joe, as a screenwriter and booker for XFWL's E-Fed, you pay great attention to detail, and character development. I think why you like TNG so much is because of the character development. As an E-Fed booker, you are annoyed how WWE portrays a character one way one week, and another the next week. TNG has built a strong personality for each character quite well. Some examples; - Picard - A man w/out a family whom considers his crew his family, he enjoys horseback riding, his favorite drink is Teal, Earl Grey, hot. He is a stern captain, but has a lighter side.
- Riker - Riker is an arrogant First officer, while he is totally loyal to Picard, he has no qualms on speaking his mind. He is also somewhat of a ladies man. He has had many problems with his father, and has turned down various command options to other ships, due to his loyalty to Enterprise and Picard. He is also known as quite the poker player, with a skill that even surpasses Data
- Data - |Data has a personality all to his own. He strives to become more human by watching his fellow human crew mates and studying them. Although he is an android, he has formed a good relationship w/ Gordie La forge has his nueral implants has become accustomed, and used to the presences his crew mates.
- Dianna Trio has a love affair with chocolate and is proud of her betezed heritage.
- Lt Worf, a Klingon, is usually in less then a good mood, despite what is going around him. He does not enjoy social gatherings and take great pride in his Klingon heritage.
- Barclay is an engineering genius, but is a very nervous man which makes him interesting to watch.
- Chief Medical officer Crusher has the up most respect for life be it a Romulon or a Cardasian. She is also very close to Picard, and through out the years none of these characters, while evolved, hasn't really changed.
There are many others but those are a few examples of the characters and their well established personality's. Each one is distinct, and are their own person. I think you may find that intriguing. Another thing is TNG rarely, if even at all, contradicts itself, which s something I know you respect. The episodes to play on facts on facts, as opposed to making things up as they go along. The writers of TNG done a good job in my opinion to keep everything weaved together. We do, in a way become emotionally attached to these characters because of the great storytelling, and the great backgrounds which can be seen in the personality of each. Thats just one aspect of why I think you enjoy TNG. ~Myke
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Post by xkamelx on Oct 30, 2003 21:01:56 GMT -5
And yes Joe, the storylines were very well throughout, and despite whatever crisis the Enterprise D encountered these character personalties came into play, they were able to work as a team, each officer offering their own opinion until the found a coomen singularity in their theories on how to survive, which worked, very good story telling.
All Good Things - In this episode, Riker and Worf hated each other after Worf has a relationship wit the now deceased Counselor Troi (in the latest future)?
Then Picard was sent back to his space time continuum where he joined the senior officers poker game for the first time?
If so, that was a GREAT episode.
~Myke
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Post by Joe on Nov 1, 2003 2:04:52 GMT -5
Yep, that was the episode Myke...It really is an amazing episode...Probably better then most of the actual Star Trek movies that have come out...
But yeah, I see what you guys are saying and definitely agree...There was something in the way TNG was created, both in a business aspect and creative aspect, that made it have a wider appeal then the other Star Trek shows...
Rumor has it the last movie (Nemesis) was the last to host TNG cast and crew...I for one am quite disappointed by this...I really enjoyed their movies in the series, especially "First Contact"...
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Post by DeepSPace9 on Nov 1, 2003 11:00:32 GMT -5
The problem is they knew this was going to be the last with the TNG cast because the franchise itself has suffered because the movies only relate to one crew and as they found out with the original cast, they simply got to old to keep doing the movies. Also the show has been off the air for 9 years and without a show to keep it going, the interest is falling.
I still think they made a mistake in killing off Data though, but that was the only way to get Brent Spiner to appear in Nemesis. Originally it was supposed to be Picard who died, and able to keep the franchise going with Riker at the helm of the Enterprise.
Thats one thing about Star Trek that has and never will happen in real life. Commanding Officers staying aboard the same ship all the time. In real life they rotate every 2-3 years to stay fresh and not get complacent.
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Post by xkamelx on Nov 2, 2003 10:34:30 GMT -5
Even on Nemesis's DVD cover, it says 'A Generations Final Journey Begins' which is quite sad as I've always enjoyed looking forward to the next ST movie. I've heard rumors that Voyager may get its own movie, but that seems unlikely since the TNG cast didn't draw in the money last year that Paramount wanted. It was even under that damn Jennifer Lopez movie, Maid in Manhattan, or something like that. Janeway has a cameo in Nemesis, as an admiral. I've also heard rumors that they may mix the TNG / Voyager crew for another movie, but like I said, thats just a rumor. I actually hope they do. I'm also not sure Data's death is permanent, as they can always find away to bring him back, but keep in mind that B-4 started humming the song that Data was singing in the TNG pilot when Riker first met him on the holodeck. I did like the closure of Nemesis, w/ Data's death, Riker and Troi leaving for their own ship, etc. The bonus features on the DVD has a scene where Riker meets his replacement, and ribs him by saying Captain Picard likes to be called by his first name, so the new first officer says something like "Hello Jean Luc" or something, but Picard thought it was funny cause he knew Riker put him up to it. However if this is the end of the TNG franchise, I'll be disappointed, although I thought Nemesis ended well, it lacked a lot if it was to be then end of the TNG movies. Personally, I'd like to see them relaunch the TNG series on TV. Pick up where they left off in Nemesis, add some of Voyager's crew in there as well, maybe Paris to replace Data, Janeway to maybe replace Picard as Patrick Stewart was about the only one from the show actually 'make' it in Hollywood. I doubt it will ever come to be, but it's nice to have hope ~Myke
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Post by DeepSPace9 on Nov 2, 2003 23:11:57 GMT -5
B-4 was not humming "pop goes the weasel" which was what Data was whistling when Riker first met him in "Encounter at Farpoint". Data could never get the "pop goes the weasel" part while whistling.
Another thing I have never understood about Star Trek is the fact that they can turn down promotions at a whim as well. How many times did Picard turn down Admiral in 7 seasons? I remember him turning it down twice. Riker passed up Captain atleast 4 times.
If I were to bring back Star Trek to the 24th Century(forgetting Enterprise completely), I would have a new style ship in it. In one episode of Voyager, they showed the "Promethesis" or whatever the name was, it was a prototype ship that could split into 3 different parts to attack a ship, whatever happened to that ship?
If I was going to bring back TNG with a new cast, I would have Picard as Captain still, but replace the new XO with Chakotey and bring in Tom as helmsman.
But I would really like to see a new Voyager series. That is by far the most advanced ship in the federation now. It has transphasic shielding(which never existed until 7 of 9 converted it), armor from the future, an astrometrics lab that is far superior than the most advanced ship(enterprise), transwarp capability(only short times, but it did knock 20 years off the journey each time), I forget what the future torpedoes were called, but they could destroy an entire Borg cube with one shot.
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Post by 0 of 0 on Sept 25, 2006 17:17:10 GMT -5
They were called Transphasic torpedos.
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System
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Post by System on Oct 11, 2006 5:31:20 GMT -5
Yeah, i like The Original Series and The Next Generation i haven't been able to get into the others. I really like Data on TNG, and just find it really entertaining.
My favourite episode is "The Offspring" the one where Data creates a daughter.
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Post by xkamelx on Oct 11, 2006 14:22:00 GMT -5
You're watching the series in order, which is good. Once you've finished up TNG, DS9 will be the next one to move on to.
DS9 may surprise you, it's nothing like TOS and TNG, it's a lot more dark compared to the other Treks.
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Post by System on Oct 11, 2006 22:26:18 GMT -5
^ Awesome, i really like Dark Shows. Ive been watching TOS (its on weeknightly) and TNG on the weekends (ive also watched DVD's of it). I might watch DS9 on the weekend as well.
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Post by xkamelx on Oct 11, 2006 22:38:40 GMT -5
^ Awesome, i really like Dark Shows. Ive been watching TOS (its on weeknightly) and TNG on the weekends (ive also watched DVD's of it). I might watch DS9 on the weekend as well. If you like dark shows, then you'll love DS9. It starts out a little like the other Star Trek shows, but as it goes on it gets real gritty, real dark, and some episodes are a little morbid. small spoiler about war that you may already know: This is the series with the Dominion War, the largest war in the history of the Federation with millions of fatalities, and leaves countless woulds and civilization in ruins The character development is outstanding, and there are about 12 recurring characters who are in a lot of the shows, even some from TNG. There's one episode where some of them travel back in time to a TOS episode, and they edited it to put the DS9 characters into the TOS episode for the entire show. Two of TNG's Enterprise crew end up on DS9 as regular characters as well. I wish I had yet to see DS9 so I could watch it for the first time all over again.
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Post by 0 of 0 on Oct 12, 2006 21:28:08 GMT -5
I love DS9 the SFX are spectacular. Even though I have not finished ther series I still think that it's the best one.
System, you gotta watch DS9
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Post by System on Oct 15, 2006 8:29:41 GMT -5
^ Awesome, i really like Dark Shows. Ive been watching TOS (its on weeknightly) and TNG on the weekends (ive also watched DVD's of it). I might watch DS9 on the weekend as well. If you like dark shows, then you'll love DS9. It starts out a little like the other Star Trek shows, but as it goes on it gets real gritty, real dark, and some episodes are a little morbid. small spoiler about war that you may already know: This is the series with the Dominion War, the largest war in the history of the Federation with millions of fatalities, and leaves countless woulds and civilization in ruins The character development is outstanding, and there are about 12 recurring characters who are in a lot of the shows, even some from TNG. There's one episode where some of them travel back in time to a TOS episode, and they edited it to put the DS9 characters into the TOS episode for the entire show. Two of TNG's Enterprise crew end up on DS9 as regular characters as well. I wish I had yet to see DS9 so I could watch it for the first time all over again. I watched it this evening, loved it. It was the episode where Odo had to save some women out of a crystal thing, but it wasn't her... That war sounds cool also.
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