# Star Trek: TNG has aged badly (IMHO) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 18, 2003, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530 "2003-04-18T12:24:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/21 "2003-04-18T17:55:22Z")
Among other things, the dramatic music (as well as that background “engine hum”) was _really_ overplayed in the first few seasons of _TNG_, almost to the point of drowning out the dialgue. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/22 "2003-04-18T19:39:40Z")
I’ve seen a few episodes of Voyager lately and its aged much worse than TNG has. I haven’t seen any DS9 episodes to compare them to though. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/23 "2003-04-18T20:16:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NoCoolUserName \* > \*\*2) Beige? You’re complaining about the color of the sets/lighting? Sheesh, talk about nit-picking! > \*\* and _another_ thing, I don’t much like the color of your post. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/24 "2003-04-18T21:11:34Z")
The first season of TNG was very, formative (IOW it often stunk). It got considerable better from the 2nd season on. You can always immediately spot a 1st season show by the uniforms. They had no collars, an extra stripe along the top black part and an obnoxious seem right down the front! Not to mention the ridiculous mini-skirt uniforms some of the women wore. Troi’s hair (i.e. wig) and Worf’s makeup were both really bad too. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/25 "2003-04-19T17:17:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hail Ants \* > Not to mention the ridiculous mini-skirt uniforms some of the women wore. Some of the men, too. I kid you not. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/26 "2003-04-19T17:45:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\*Some of the men, too. I kid you not. \*\* Umm… I don’t recall this. Do you have a pic link to buttress this assertion. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/27 "2003-04-19T18:20:33Z")
! saw hairy legs walk by in a skirt in one episode. I can’t remember which. The guy was carrying one on those pads Yeoman Rand was always handing Kirk to sign. ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/28 "2003-04-19T19:54:57Z")
There are definitely men in miniskirts in the pilot episode–the name of which escapes me now. Actually, I didn’t mind that, and kind of wished they’d kept it up… I’ll see if I can get Mr. Cameron to get a screen capture. My computer isn’t set up for it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/29 "2003-04-19T20:06:04Z")
_Journey to Farpoint_ ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/30 "2003-04-19T20:28:21Z")
“The Inner Light” was my favorite TNG episode. Most of the others had way too much trek-babble-as-substitute-for-writing-good-plot-lines, and the new age philosophy drove me absolutely batty. And especially the quasi-communist never-explained nature of the federation. But let’s contrast TNG with the best SF on TV, which was _Firefly_: **TNG:** Captain: Helmsman, take us to planet X. Troi: Captain, are you sure that’s wise? I’m picking up conflicting emotions. Riker: Captain, planet X is off limits. Surely you know that! Geordi: Yeah, Captain! Besides, it’s almost lunchtime. Shouldn’t we get together as a committee and decide whether or not we should actually set course before or after lunch? Worf: Before we go, captain, would you mind if I killed something? Captain: Oh, the decisions! It’s so difficult! **Firefly:** Captain: Set course to take us out of here. Crewman: Are you sure that’s wise? Captain: Do you know what the _chain of command_ is? It’s the chain I beat your ass with until you realize who’s in ruttin’ command! Crewman: Aye Aye, sir! ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/31 "2003-04-19T21:09:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carnivorousplant \* > \*\*_Journey to Farpoint_ \*\* _ **Encounter** at Farpoint_. For shame… you should have your Trekkie license revoked. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/32 "2003-04-19T21:14:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aesiron \* > For shame… you should have your Trekkie license revoked. I agree. You’re conflating the first episode (_Encounter at Farpoint_) with the last (_Journey’s End_). Hang your head in shame! ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/33 "2003-04-19T21:17:48Z")
Ahem. Give me your card while you’re at it, young man. The series’ finale was _All Good Things_. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/34 "2003-04-19T21:31:10Z")
AHEM. It was “All Good Things…” - you forgot an ellipsis. Not a major infraction, to be sure, so I’m just going to put you on probation. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/35 "2003-04-19T21:52:08Z")
Whoops, _Journey’s End_ wasn’t the last, but the seventh-to-last episode. I remain smug and outraged. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/36 "2003-04-19T22:01:22Z")
I seem to recall that there was a television special called “Journey’s End”, hosted by Jonathan Frakes, which looked back on TNG, and aired like right before “All Good Things…”. I guess I’m misremembering, though, because I can’t find any evidence of it, even under a different title. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/37 "2003-04-20T00:05:47Z")
It was a test, and you did very well. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/38 "2003-04-20T02:34:25Z")
:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/39 "2003-04-20T03:09:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\* > > **TNG:** > > Captain: Helmsman, take us to planet X. > Troi: Captain, are you sure that’s wise? I’m picking up conflicting emotions. > Riker: Captain, planet X is off limits. Surely you know that! > Geordi: Yeah, Captain! Besides, it’s almost lunchtime. Shouldn’t we get together as a committee and decide whether or not we should actually set course before or after lunch? > Worf: Before we go, captain, would you mind if I killed something? > Captain: Oh, the decisions! It’s so difficult! > \*\* Let me hasten to add … Data: I may learn something about being human on planet X. Wesley: Wow, am I a weenie. Barclay: Me, too. And everyone keeps asking me why the guy from “The A-Team” is wandering around the Enterprise. And somebody’s got to run a Level 5 diagnostic, then crawl through one of the Jefferies tubes to reroute something through the deflector dish! ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530/40 "2003-04-20T03:26:51Z")
Don’t forget Q. It isn’t a TNG episode without him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-tng-has-aged-badly-imho/169530.md?page=3)