PATRON TAKES - Star Trek TNG Season 1 Recap

I think it's great watching these episodes with you guys again and you don't carry any of the cynicism from back in the day. They are better than most people realize. The concepts in the first 2 seasons are very much attached to the original Gene Roddenberry ideas of Star Trek.

What's not to like, I liked the first season except one....Ep.#23. I think these will be in your Fav Top 10 Episodes (#8 Justice, #10 Hide and Q, #12 The Big Goodbye, #13 Datalore, #14 Angel One, #19 Coming of Age, #20 Heart of Glory, #23 Skin of Evil, #25 Conspiracy, #26 The Neutral Zone. Like I said in the Letter in my P.O Box to you guys...It has been fun so far to watch you 2 and be reminded more than a few times each reaction of my Uncle and me doing the same thing all those years ago! 🙂🖖

I like that you guys are enjoying Season One. I still don’t care for it but so many people on the internet are devoted to being ass negative as possible, it’s really nice to watch someone talk about how much they’re enjoying something.

Star Trek TNG Season 1. It's good

I've never understood all the hate this season gets, but then I largely try and avoid listening to the 'everyone in the fandom thinks' comments about Star Trek. I prefer making up my own mind on things and find the good and bad in everything (and that includes the newer stuff!) Maybe it comes from not being of the generation who watched these shows as they came out, but I've always tended to view the show as a whole, and not breaking it up into seasons of 'good' and 'bad'. I only caught the odd episode here and there as a kid when my dad used to watch reruns, and when you watch the full series for the first time as an adult on Netflix in long binge sessions it all kinda blends together!

TNG's much maligned reputation (regarding its first two seasons) is largely undeserved. The series showed promise from the outset (even if it stumbled from time to time). The pros certainly outweigh the cons. As the season continued, it did get more confident in its storytelling and consistency. One of the strongest points in its favor is that TNG succeeded over TOS in its attempts to make their show an ensemble piece, something the original series never really excelled at. Let's face it, TOS was the Kirk, Spock and McCoy show with Scotty getting an occasional look in whilst Sulu, Uhura and Chekov were nothing more than supporting players. That said, some members of the TNG did get sidelined (with one leaving before the season was out) but the show did a better job at this balance than its predecessor. On a production note, the series still looks really good more than three decades after these episodes aired. Being one of the first American shows to hit the million-dollar mark (budget wise) per episode, TNG still retains a high end, polished look. Its visual style, cinematography and special effects by and large are still very good. The performances from the cast were also on point from the beginning with the characters firmly established by seasons end. Enjoy year two guys!

First time commenter here: Season 1 is not terrible standing on its own. Season 2 is not either. I guess most of us have had the opportunity to watch all the seasons, many times over, and when put up against the other seasons, we all feel they are not the strongest of the series. I will be interested to see your overall perspective of the series at the end of season 7. I will say I think Season 2 is similar. Some high highs and some low lows. I have been enjoying this nostalgic walk with you both and the other patrons as well. I hope you continue to enjoy it!

It was a lot of fun rewatching the first season with you guys. I only returned for 1 or 2 episodes of season 1 when I rewatched TNG on my own. But watching it with you made me appreciate it a lot more then I did on my own, especially your reactions and care for the details of every episode are fantastic and always interesting to listen to. And one small humble advice on appreciating Star Trek going forward into the "better seasons" or future in generel: Maybe never stop to slighly compare it to TOS. Because you loved this series so much and the first season of TNG that I think and hope you will never end up like people saying it is only bad or mediocre at best. They will continue to say that for season 2, seasons 6 and 7 being less good then 5, Deep Space nines 1. Season being worse then the rest, Voyager, Enterprise... you name it. What I wanted to say is keep it up and stay true to yourself and your view on the franchise as a whole that is also what I love the most about your videos,... you two. And I can't wait to see you for season 2. And a happy new year:-)

I just went through the list for Season 1 and broke it down into categories according to my own personal enjoyment levels of them. Just a tally and I won't specify which episodes are in which category. I also did Season 2 but I'll save that list for the appropriate time: Best of the best: 3 Excellent: 4 Enjoyable: 9 Time filler with good moments: 6 At least it's only 40ish minutes: 2 No. Just...no: 2

I think the biggest reason that most people don't think of the first and second seasons as fondly as the rest is not because the writing was bad, it's not, it's because we watched this show every week for seven years and grew to intimately know these characters. Once you get to the end of the series and go back to the beginning it's kind of like being married to someone for years who you know and love and then stepping through a door and going back to the first day you met. It's kind of jarring. The writing and production quality does improve greatly as the show goes on, but it's the character growth over those years that truly makes this show such a treasure. You guys are in for an awesome ride.

So, gentlemen: how excited are you for Season 2? Are you expecting any noticeable changes to production or characters? What would you want S02E01 to be about? I do predict that "Conspiracy" will be both of you's favorite episode of season 1, and that "Angel One" will be your least favorite.

Season 1 acted as a bridge between TOS and TNG finding its own identity. I enjoyed most of the episodes and found things to like in even the ones I didn’t

I'm sure someone must have already mentioned 'Choas On The Bridge'. In case not then I recommend you both watch this retrospective on the making of TNG season 1. I take your point about the cast and crew being professionals, Josh & Alex. I would repeat yet again that if TNG didn't have the established ST brand, then I think there could have been a major re-think of the show before season 2. As it was, there are several changes/additions that were made, while the basic show remained the same. Season 1 showed that Roddenberry didn't really have a good enough reason to launch the show and that it was a slow process trying to find the right footing for the stories and characters.

Season 1 of TNG has some very high highs, and some very low lows. The dialog is very clunky, very "tell not show" and the writers were still figuring out the characters. Wesley is the worst Mary Sue in the history of sci-fi. I predict Arsenal of Freedom and the Pilot to be strong contenders for favorite episodes though maybe that's just my picks. Big Goodbye is also a great episode I hope gets some love. Predictions on the Star Trek Journey: Hopefully we can finally (FINALLY) be done with one of you looking into the camera and asking where the bad episodes are. Season 2 is a step up and I think you will continue enjoying your trek through the stars.

Everything feels slightly unfinished and unrefined. Characters having no clearly defined roles on the ship (Worf, Troi) while other positions are filled by one-off guest stars or are non-existent. Fake looking soundstage "planets" and plain human looking "aliens". The Ferengi are hyped up as this major threat and then treated as a laughingstock. The weird fixation on sex and gender in many episodes. I could go on, but let's just say that while TNG season 1 may seem fine if you are coming in from TOS, it feels a bit cringe if you just finished season 7.

I'm afraid that all this time, us Patrons were playing a prank on you. In reality, Season 1 is widely considered the best season of TNG by far. Sorry for leading you astray, but in our defense we did it because it was funny.

season 1 happened and was good. Spoiler alert: there is a couple of more seasons of star trek so clear the schedule for a few years..... just saying

To summarize Season 1 of TNG: doesn't deserve the hate it gets. while it's still the weakest season in my eyes, being the weakest season in an excellent series isn't at all a bad thing. I'm loving going through the Trek journey again with you guys. Getting your fresh takes and discussions makes the journey all the more exciting. As a final note, I forgot just how awesome "Conspiracy" was.

Season 1 TNG has that old TOS feel too it, but with the new era it doesn’t quite work, you can tell some of the writers wanted to push things into new directions but Gene held them back with his visions of what Trek should be. There are still some good moments, and now that most things are established, character backstories are set, the series can start to fire on more cylinders. Season 2 will being in some new faces and start to build on this rocky foundation and set the stage to show why we love this generation’s voyages so much.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... Gentlemen-so far - you have seen us at our best-Conspiracy you have seen us at our worst-Code of Honor I am so happy that you are still learning little things like Pips and the voice of the computer being Mrs Roddenberry herself.. For fun you could give a woop everytime a character says "It's some kind of.."..but thats a lot of woops.. The anticipation in waiting for you to get to episodes we all cant wait for you to react to is half the excitement. I can't image falling in love with it all over again for the first time! For me personally-waitin for DS9!-we are gettin there..

I've always assumed the extreme haters for TNG Seasons 1 & 2 and TOS Season 3 are either following along with the alleged popular opinion or they're just trying to stir up other people. I tend to ignore them unless they get abusive. Pretty much every episode of every TV show has lovers and haters and sometimes the haters are the squeaky wheels.

I loved TNG from the beginning, but watching the show back in 1988 there were many things I thought were embarrassingly bad. On rewatch I am struck by how much good, strong stuff is there in season one. Over the decades I seem to have remembered the weaker elements while the good faded in my memory. Thanks for giving me a reason to revisit season one and see it anew.

I wanted it to be like the original series which made better use of outdoor and Hollywood backlots and sets with a few matte paintings. They were in a very pacifist mindset -- uniforms that did not really allow action scenes, and they did not want to use phasers unless they did not look like guns. It felt like a non-engineer ship with just the main cast instead of 1,014 crew members.

Season 1 of TNG contains a lot of early-installment weirdness, which I think is what turns off a lot of long-time fans — that is, they come to TNG for a certain type of show and Season 1 doesn't give them that. To me, though, that's part of the charm of the season: seeing all the directions the show maybe could have gone, but didn't. I also kinda like watching the main cast grow into their roles, especially Geordi, Worf, and Data. It's been a lot of fun rewatching the season with you, and I can't wait for you to experience Season 2!

I think the reason Alex and Josh are looking on season one more fondly then most Trekkers do is because long-term fans have re-watched the show over and over again. We all have episodes that we like to go back and watch whenever we feel the need for a hit of Star Trek and for most of us, none of those episodes are in season one.

Season 1, where are all the bad episodes?!? This season wasn’t perfect, but I did love it! And maybe it’s similar to you guys that I also am coming off TOS. But if this is suppose to be the bad season, I am excited to see the upcoming golden seasons!

Prediction for your favorites: Encounter at Farpoint, The Arsenal of Freedom, Heart of Glory, Skin of Evil, and The Neutral Zone. I liked season 1. It only dims in comparison to later seasons, but when seen on its own, there are some solid stories and a lot of world building.

I don't hate TNG season 1, but I think it's very plot-driver rather than character driven, much like TOS. I'd love to see the weaker episodes re-writen by the writers from season 3-onward to see if they could be make to fit in better with the rest of the series. I think the general fan distaste for season 1 is how it's out of step with the rest of the series rather than a commentary on quality. It's very Simpsons season 1 - Not bad...just different.

While I went into season 1 with the “this won’t be all that good for the most part”, I had not seen most of the episodes since they first aired. In a couple cases, I don’t remember ever seeing them. You gave a fresh perspective and eyes in revisiting this season. Thank you. Not sure what your top 5 will be, but I predict Conspiracy, The Neutral Zone, The Big Goodbye, Home Soil, and Heart of Glory will all be in either 1 or both of your top 5 lists.

Question, now that you've seen all of Season 1, do you feel equipped to answer the nerdiest of nerd questions: Kirk or Picard? 🙃

S1 is not as bad as its rep, but I will say it's back-end runs a lot smoother in general than it's front half. Lotta kinks worked out in those early episodes, the pilot is poorly paced, the Ferengi did not turn out as planned, the characters were less defined and there was some unfortunate impications with an early episode, all front stacked, all driving people away. Once about "The Big Goodbye" hits, it's an overall trend of improvement, and even before that the eps weren't all BAD, just not as good/cohesive as they'd come to be by the end. And, as sad as Tasha's exit was, the writers I think were having trouble juggling 9 characters. We'll see how things progress in S2.

Season one is obviously not bad, just different in ways from later seasons. But actually that’s true of every season of Tng. Season 6 is different than season 4 (my favorite). And you’ll find season 2 fundamentally different in some ways. Growing and changing is the nature of a good show imho.

Brief review: While not horrible the show was often saddled with directing and acting heavy on indifference, thus so much of the drama was lost. Acting styles change, but none of these people bring anywhere near the energy Deforest Kelly did. Before you started I said you will not be able to imitate these actors the way you do Scotty and Bones, and I stand by that as an example of the intangible something that is missing from this show. It's fine, I guess, maybe, I just wish it had more oomph in the production, from acting choices to music.

I called Season 1 “practically unwatchable” and you read my comment. I was wrong. It’s good! You’re just at the beginning of the Golden Age of Trek, and it only gets better and better.

I think at least one of you will throw a curveball and have Where No One Has Gone Before in your Top 3 episodes

Turns out TNG Season 1 wasn't all that bad after all. I have you guys to thank for that new perspective. ¡Feliz Navidad!

Well, I'm glad you guys liked this first season, I think I might like this better than I first watched it. Lets just check the episode list to refresh my memory about all the episodes and.....(looks at all 25/26 episodes).......damn, a lot of them still kinda suck don't they? It's not to the level of "this is all terrible" but like....other than the 3 exceptions on both the good and bad side, there's like 10-ish episodes that just.....kinda suck. The other 10 are just okay.

As a teen, I watched the show live as it aired. I have distinct memories of that first season being embarrassingly bad. Yet, going through each episode again with you I have come to realize that it was only a handful of stories at most (and an over-reliance on Wesley Crusher). Thank you for that! You're the only Patreon I support and it's been so much fun watching these with you. Here's to Season Two and on! Happy New Year!

Was never a S1 hater but I'll definitely say you guys made me see a lot more of the merits of it compared to how I viewed it before. I think when most fans say it's bad, it's between that cliche "the later seasons are just that good" and how off it is to see characters not necessarily in the role you see them in later or acting a bit off because they haven't been fleshed out yet. That being said, this exploration with you and my fellow patrons has been one of my most enjoyable viewing experiences of any Star Trek. Really looking forward to s2 and beyond.

Like most, I think I'd maybe been overly unkind to season 1. Watching it through the lens of someone completely new, like you guys, has actually refreshed it in my eyes. Sure, there are bumpy bits and some episodes don't land fully or there's weird directing choices / camera placement, but what show doesn't have a few hitches in the first season?

Glad you guys seemed to have enjoyed the majority of Season 1. For me the weakness of the early seasons is the inconsistency of the character writing - the obvious example being Commander Data. Sometimes he comes across as surprisingly insightful and competent; yet other episodes he displays childlike naïveté to social cues where you have to question how he could possibly have earned his commission. But you have already seen small glimpses of the quality of the writing that will only get better as the seasons go on. Happy to be along for the ride with you guys. Your enjoyment of certain details in otherwise unremarkable episodes has actually increased my appreciation of those episodes upon rewatch. Cheers.

The big thing that sticks out for me after taking this journey with you guys is that the maligned reputation of season 1, much like TOS season 3, is sometimes greatly exaggerated. As I've thought about it more and more I come to conclusion that Season 1 only pales by comparison, but not on its own merits. It will be interesting to see how you look back on early TNG once we get into the meat of the series. Favorite episode prediction: The Big Goodbye, or Coming of Age.

I have thought that encounter at far point should have been broken up into two parts and letting the mystery of far point build to the 10th episode or so. And place Hide and Q in the middle between, trying to complicate the far point mystery. They did it they way they did it. However, I think this concept might have been considered to a point except for the studio insisting that there be a two hour premier movie. It felt like that story was meant to be serialized.