A box-office smash, Nimoy's The Voyage Home (1986) is the franchise's most accessible adventure--a high point offset by William Shatner's comparatively dreadful Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989). Meyer (and his penchant for quoting Shakespeare) returned for The Undiscovered Country (1991), a conspiracy thriller that put the series back on track, inspiring fans to invoke the "even number" rule in rating their franchise favorites. Generations (1994) gracefully passed the torch to TV's The Next Generation, bidding farewell to Captain Kirk with honor and integrity intact. Highlighted by the evolving humanity of Brent Spiner's android Lt. Cmdr. Data, First Contact (1996) explored Star Trek history with a logical (hint) surprise encounter, and Insurrection (1998) provided an adequate expansion of the successful NextGen series. Taken as a whole, these ten films demonstrate the consistent vitality of Roddenberry's original vision, stoking any Trekker's appetite for "ongoing missions" in Nemesis and beyond. --Jeff Shannon Most of the feature films were released early in the DVD era, but are represented here in their vastly improved two-disc special editions, which boast widescreen anamorphic pictures, director's cuts of the first two films, numerous commentary tracks by cast and crew, humorous and informative trivia subtitle tracks by Michael and Denise Okuda, and a wide variety of new and vintage documentaries and galleries.
Running Time 8087 Min
Format: DVD MOVIE
Amazon.com
After Star Wars and the successful big-screen Star Trek adventures, it's perhaps not so surprising that Gene Roddenberry managed to convince purse string-wielding studio heads in the 1980s that a Next Generation would be both possible and profitable. But the political climate had changed considerably since the 1960s, the Cold War had wound down, and we were now living in the Age of Greed. To be successful a second time, Star Trek had to change too.
A writer's guide was composed with which to sell and define where the Trek universe was in the 24th Century. The United Federation of Planets was a more appealing ideology to an America keen to see where the Reagan/Gorbachev faceoff was taking them. Starfleet's meritocratic philosophy had always embraced all races and species. Now Earth's utopian history, featuring the abolishment of poverty, was brandished prominently and proudly. The new Enterprise, NCC 1701-D, was no longer a ship of war but an exploration vessel carrying families. The ethical and ethnical flagship also carried a former enemy (the Klingon Worf, played by Michael Dorn), and its Chief Engineer (Geordi LaForge) was blind and black. From every politically correct viewpoint, Paramount executives thought the future looked just swell!
Roddenberry's feminism now contrasted a pilot episode featuring ship's Counsellor Troi (Marina Sirtis) in a mini-skirt with her ongoing inner strengths and also those of Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) and the short-lived Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby). The arrival of Whoopi Goldberg in season 2 as mystic barkeep Guinan is a great example of the good the original Trek did for racial groups--Goldberg has stated that she was inspired to become an actress in large part through seeing Nichelle Nichols' Uhura. Her credibility as an actress helped enormously alongside the strong central performances of Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard), Jonathan Frakes (First Officer Will Riker), and Brent Spiner (Data) in defining another wholly believable environment once again populated with well-defined characters. Star Trek, it turned out, did not depend for its success on any single group of actors.
Like its predecessor in the 1960s, TNG pioneered visual effects on TV, making it an increasingly jaw-dropping show to look at. And thanks also to the enduring success of the original show, phasers, tricorders, communicators and even phase inverters were already familiar to most viewers. But while technology was a useful tool in most crises, it now frequently seemed to be the cause of them too, as the show's writers continually warned about the dangers of over-reliance on technology (the Borg were the ultimate expression of this maxim). The word "technobabble" came to describe a weakness in many TNG scripts, which sacrificed the social and political allegories of the original and relied instead upon invented technological faults and their equally fictitious resolutions to provide drama within the Enterprise's self-contained society. (The holodeck's safety protocol override seemed to be next to the light switch given the number of times crew members were trapped within.) This emphasis on scientific jargon appealed strongly to an audience who were growing up for the first time in the late 1980s with the home computer--and gave rise to the clichéd image of the nerdy Trek fan.
Like in the original Trek, it was in the stories themselves that much of the show's success is to be found. That pesky Prime Directive kept moral dilemmas afloat ("Justice"/"Who Watches the Watchers?"/"First Contact"). More "what if" scenarios came out of time-travel episodes ("Cause and Effect"/"Time's Arrow"/"Yesterday's Enterprise"). And there were some episodes that touched on the political world, such as "The Arsenal of Freedom" questioning the supply of arms, "Chain of Command" decrying the torture of political prisoners and "The Defector", which was called "The Cuban Missile Crisis of The Neutral Zone" by its writer. The show ran for more than twice as many episodes as its progenitor and therefore had more time to explore wider ranging issues. But the choice of issues illustrates the change in the social climate that had occurred with the passing of a couple of decades. "Angel One" covered sexism; "The Outcast" was about homosexuality; "Symbiosis"--drug addiction; "The High Ground"--terrorism; "Ethics"--euthanasia; "Darmok"--language barriers; and "Journey's End"--displacement of Indians from their homeland. It would have been unthinkable for the original series to have tackled most of these.
TNG could so easily have been a failure, but it wasn't. It survived a writer's strike in its second year, the tragic death of Roddenberry just after Trek's 25th anniversary in 1991, and plenty of competition from would-be rival franchises. Yes, its maintenance of an optimistic future was appealing, but the strong stories and readily identifiable characters ensured the viewers' continuing loyalty. --Paul Tonks
Customer Reviews:
An Incredible Sci-Fi Series.......2007-08-14
One of the best casts, if not the best, of ANY Science Fiction series ever, was brought together to reinvent a lot of what we knew sci-fi to be. Gene Roddenberry brought an amazing new world to us with some of the most amazing effects and writing where the focus on the story was more about society and discovery and how humanity could cope with that, than anything else. This as an absolute must have for anyone looking for great entertainment for the household, or even for themselves. Beware though... Lwaxana Troi may terrorize your days ;-) (Majel is just amazing on those guest appearances!)
Star Trek: The Next Generation.......2007-08-04
I'm really glad that I have the entire seven seasons of Star Trek: TNG. I wanted it for a long time. However, after receiving the collection and watching a few episodes, I was disappointed. I was expecting better video quality. And, I hope I'm not the only one with the following problem.
Specifically, the DVDs that I have watched thus far have superior audio, and the video stream is smooth but has poor color contrast. The picture has an overall dim background brightness, rendering a poor contrast between light and dark objects. This makes it difficult to see everything in the scenes. The brighter elements are okay and the darker colors and background elements are barely viewable or not viewable at all. Examples include scenes of video where the Enterprise is orbiting a planet, inside scenes of the Enterprise with Captain Picard, Commander Riker, Counselor Troy, etc, and other interior shots where the darker colors of actors' uniforms, and background objects which were, again, barely identifiable/viewable on the screen or not viewable at all. I thought, perhaps, my TV was the problem or maybe even the DVD player, so I conducted a few tests.
First, the TV was evaluated. It is not possible to adjust picture elements like the contrast or turn the brightness up on my TV enough to have the picture to appear normal and get the background colors to come out correctly. When I do turn the brightness enough to somewhat see the background elements, the rest of the picture (lighter elements) washes out. So, I put the same episodes into my computer, which has an LCD monitor. Although the picture came out a little better, the problem remained. Now, I happen to have many VHS episodes of Star Trek: TNG. I compared some identical episodes using both DVD and VHS formats with the same TV and DVD/VHS player, with a follow-on plan to then try more tests using a different TV (computer monitor) and player. So, I watched a couple of the episodes that I had on both DVD and VHS. The VHS versions played well and the video was normal for both background and foreground viewing brightness and color identification. Continuing on, I tried the DVD on another DVD player hooked to the same TV with the same poor results. I also tried using another VHS player on the same TV, played the identical episodes on it, and the picture quality was great.
My conclusion is that the Star Trek: TNG DVD collection was recorded incorrectly or at too low a brightness level. Whatever the cause, the poor video quality is unacceptable. Unfortunately, I passed the warranty period because it took me too long to view enough video episodes to know this was a systemic problem. And, I really don't want to give up my collection since the next set I purchase will undoubtedly be the same. I say this because I own Star Trek, the original series and it is too dark, as well.
All I can say is that I will not purchase any other Star Trek series until I know I'm getting something substantially better than mediocre video quality and offered quality replacement DVDs for my current two collections.
everything I wanted.......2007-07-16
This was a perfect buy! It was/is everything I wanted. I don't think I could have found a better price and it was delievered in a decent about of time.
(Of course if you're not a trekkie,you may not like this item).:)
ST:TNG Good, but not the best anthology.......2007-06-27
I love the show very much and consider myself a Trek fan. It's nice to have the series on DVD, but the extra features are nill if any. Very sporadic, no real commentary or commentary that is particularly interesting. If you want your favorite episodes on DVD, you get it. The video quality is not particularly good, it's pretty average. I think it was a straight transfer from VHS, but I could be wrong. It would be nice to get director commentaries, but I don't think there are any. Slightly disappointing considering how much money I blew on the discs, in my opinion.
AVOID DROP SHIPPERS!!!.......2007-06-09
Drop shippers are easily identified - If a seller lists EMS as a shipping meathod - They are a drop shipper - And you never know what you're going to receive or if you'll receive it at all - Because your order can get locked up in CUSTOMS for several weeks - And worse you may not be able to get a refund for the item. Always ask your seller if their product is being shipped with EMS. If so, don't buy - it's better to pay a little more and receive your product, rather than take a chance on not getting it at all.
Amazon.com
The fifth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation saw some of the very best of all 178 shows. "Darmok" had the feel of a "classic Trek" episode, dealing with language as metaphor. "The First Duty" challenged Wesley Crusher's loyalties. The season closer "Time's Arrow" (which concluded in year 6) ranks as one of the best TNG cliffhangers, and treats fans to canon-changing story lines and tons of in-jokes. Best of all was the painfully melancholy "The Inner Light," in which Picard experiences an alternate lifetime. There were great guest stars--Paul Winfield ("Darmok"), Ashley Judd ("The Game"), Kelsey Grammar ("Cause and Effect"), Famke Janssen ("The Perfect Mate"), and Jerry Hardin ("Time's Arrow")--and as always there were contributions from Q, Lwaxana, and Barclay, too.
After the confidence of the previous two years, however, year 5 often disappointed by not seeing a good idea through to the end. Denise Crosby was swept back under the carpet in the Klingon soap opener ("Redemption, Part II"). No one could make the prospect of Deep Space 9 attractive enough to Michelle Forbes, so her fantastic performance as Ensign Ro seems wasted in retrospect. And no one could reschedule Robin Williams to guest star, so we had Matt Frewer instead ("A Matter of Time"). Of all stories to use Leonard Nimoy in, "Unification" wallowed in Romulan politics instead of anything emotionally engaging. Gene Roddenberry wanted to introduce a gay character, but mere months after his death all we got was the trite "The Outcast." This was inarguably where the series weakened, without the Great Bird overseeing what was going on. Worst of all, his hard-as-nails bad guys the Borg were given a touchy-feely side in "I, Borg." Fans and critics now appreciate that the behind-the-scenes focus had shifted from The Next Generation to the next spinoff, and it would never fully return.
Description
26 episodes on 7 discs: Redemption Part II, Darmok, Ensign Ro, Silicon Avatar, Disaster, The Game, Unification Part I, Unification Part II, A Matter of Time, New Ground, Hero Worship, Violations, The Masterpiece Society, Conundrum, Power Play, Ethics, The Outcast, Cause and Effect, The First Duty, Cost of Living, The Perfect Mate, Imaginary Friend, I, Borg, The Next Phase, The Inner Light, Time's Arrow Part I.
Customer Reviews:
Great for the collection.......2007-07-28
A wonderful series and not to be disappointed. Purchased every season through 7 and are thrilled to be able to watch these again at our pace--on our schedule.
same old next gen.......2007-05-14
well i kind of think any tv show over 30 bucks is kind of high . the special featues are kind of lame. I kind of liked the 5th season but the 6th and 7th season were a waste of time. But when next gen was on they were produceing ds9 and voyger at the same time. The only thing I have been glad about in the world of trek is that they fired rick berman and that ronald d moore is producing battlestar glactica.If your a fan of next gen at least the prices have come down when this set first came out it was 119 dollars. I hope that enterprise and voyger come down as well. I am waiting for the orgianl series HD to come out on DVD. I think it is cheaper if you get the 7 pack bundle for all the next gen shows. Lets hope they don't mess up the new movie comeing out in 2008.
live long and get happy
bruce h
sparks nevada
A great series and season!.......2007-02-26
For Star Trek fans, ST:TNG is an incredible show. Each season seems to get better and better, and the 5th will not disappoint. The characters are more developed and complex. In addition, the story lines are thought provoking. There is also plenty of action and intrigue. This season also contains special features, including a nice testimonial to Gene Roddenberry.
TNG - Still the best?.......2007-01-18
Season 5 has the TNG cast at its best, with some of the most interesting, entertaining and challenging episodes of the entire Star Trek franchise.
However, we are all going to have to consider that "Battlestar Galactica" just may be becoming the best science fiction television series ever. If you haven't checked it out yet, you should. It is NOT like the 1979 version.
I love ST:TNG.......2007-01-03
What can I say... one of the best TV Shows ever. Season 5 is excellent.
Description
26 episodes on 7 discs: Evolution, The Ensigns of Command, The Survivors, Who Watches the Watchers, The Bonding, Booby Trap, The Enemy, The Price, The Vengeance Factor, The Defector, The Hunted, The High Ground, Deja Q, A Matter of Perspective, Yesterday's Enterprise, The Offspring, Sins of the Father, Allegiance, Captain's Holiday, Tin Man, Hollow Pursuits, The Most Toys, Sarek, Menage a Troi, Transfigurations, The Best of Both Worlds Part 1.
Amazon.com
Star Trek: The Next Generation's third year was an important development in syndicated television. After two shaky years, Paramount nonetheless decided the franchise still had plenty to do. Their confidence was bolstered by two significant factors. First, cast uncertainties were finally settled: Gates McFadden (Dr. Crusher) was back for good; Denise Crosby (Tasha Yar) regretted her first-year departure, and so contrived a return in the Emmy Award-winning "Yesterday's Enterprise"; and Whoopi Goldberg happily continued her actor's-scale contributions.
Second, after the show had survived the previous year's writers' strike, new writing blood revitalized both characters and ideas: Data experienced fatherhood ("The Offspring"), Worf's Klingon heritage kick-started a huge story arc ("Sins of the Father"), and Picard got a saucy vacation ("Captain's Holiday"). There were memorable star cameos: John de Lancie played more mischief alongside Corbin Bernsen ("Déjà Q"); Dwight Schultz played truant in a gentle warning about addiction ("Hollow Pursuits"); and pleasing fans even more was Mark Lenard as Spock's dad ("Sarek"). The strongest evidence that TNG would continue for some time was the trend-setting cliffhanger finale. Fans and critics still agree that "The Best of Both Worlds" (properly introducing the Borg) was one of the greatest tricks ever pulled on TV to make audiences come back for more. --Paul Tonks
Customer Reviews:
Picking up steam..........2007-06-05
ST:TNG Season 3 begins with a slow burn that ends with a blazing bonfire.
Yesterday's Enterprise is the episode, halfway through the season, that begins the hectic race to the dramatic cliffhanger episode, The Best of Both Worlds, part I.
While slow at the outset, this season gives the viewer payoff after payoff that will keep you coming back for more in season 4.
Plus, Dr. Crusher is back! What more need be said?
Great DVD Star Trek Episodes.......2007-05-27
This is a little bias because I am a star trek fan. Love the Series!
One of the best seasons!.......2007-04-08
This season is worth purchasing for the finale episode alone. Patrick Stewart made a simply wonderful borg, and seeing Riker in command with the feisty blonde as his 2nd made that episode (in our opinions) the best in the entire series! When it viewed on the original air date we both remember literally standing up and cheering when "Locutus" came on screen!
The season also includes our second favorite episode of the series, "Q Who" where Q is banned from the continuum and forced to become human. That episode was pure fun! The biggest disappointment of the season was the return of the wimpy Dr. Crusher. We had really hoped that Dr. Pulaski would last for several seasons at least (if not the entire series!); she was so much better and stronger in the role as Chief Medical Officer--her you could believe people would follow as a leader in a military operation!
Overall, the third season was a very good one, and it was exciting to see it end with a bang (and a cliffhanger!), ensuring its continued existence... very satisfying for those of us who wish the original series had seen the same continued success.
Stng 3rd season.......2007-03-30
If you don't love Star Trek and hate it then I can't understand why anyone would hate it.
Extremely Satisfied.......2007-02-20
To put it simply, if you're a Star Trek fan you'll like this season. If you're not, you'll probably find that some of the episodes are weak on plot or character interaction. However, there are some gems hidden among the these episodes. The Klingon sub-plot gets its starting point here and the season finale is legendary in NextGen canon. Season 3 really begins to reveal what NextGen was really all about. All in all much better than Seasons 1 and 2.
Description
26 episodes on 7 discs: The Best of Both Worlds Part II, Family, Brothers, Suddenly Human, Remember Me, Legacy, Reunion, Future Imperfect, Final Mission, The Loss, Data's Day, The Wounded, Devil's Due, Clues, First Contact, Galaxy's Child, Night Terrors, Identity Crisis, The Nth Degree, QPid, The Drumhead, Half a Life, The Host, The Mind's Eye, In Theory, Redemption Part I.
Amazon.com
Season 4 of Star Trek: The Next Generation seemed like the year of family. After quickly resolving the breathtaking cliffhanger of "The Best of Both Worlds," the show took pains to show some of what the Federation was fighting for. We meet Picard's brother, Data's father, Tasha's sister, and Worf's adoptive human parents, plus an old flame with a surprise son in tow. The Klingon heritage subplot that begins here and builds to the cliffhanger finale ("Redemption") would continue to the show's end and through into Worf's reappearance in Deep Space Nine.
The year also explored the implications of Data, Lwaxana Troi, Geordi, and Dr. Crusher being in love, while Miles O'Brien (given a first name at last) married Keiko. There were old friends revisited: the ubiquitous Q in a hilarious Robin Hood romp ("Qpid"), perennial screwup Reg Barclay ("Nth Degree"), and even the mysterious Traveler from season 1's "Where No One Has Gone Before" (played by Eric Menyuk, who was nearly cast as Data). There were new races introduced who would have an important bearing on Trek's destiny: the Cardassians and the Trill. Most of all, though, there were the one-off stories that impressed: "Clues," with its memory-loss mystery; "Night Terrors," with some genuine frights; and "Identity Crisis," with possibly the only time Trek technology really helped Geordi solve a puzzle. Then right at the end, reinforcing the year's familial theme, Denise Crosby returned as her own half-Romulan daughter! --Paul Tonks
Customer Reviews:
A sober accessment - mixed bag.......2007-08-14
I disagree with the previous reviews attesting to the greatness of season 4. To the contrary, I find season 4 a mixed bag. About half the episodes are good with convincing story lines. The other half are largely stupid, corny and outlandish stories with poor scripts that should have been rejected for better ones. You almost get the feeling that some of these scripts were written by teenagers. This same scenario plagues the entire NG series. I remember when NG originally aired back in 88-94. I often found myself turning the channel to something else - except when a good episode was on. This could've and should've been better.
Blown Away.......2007-06-05
Season 4 of ST:TNG blew me away. I can think of only one episode out of the entire season that I found a bit lacking. This show just gets better and better with each subsequent season. The writing is top-notch, the acting keeps improving, the rapport of the crew gets perpetually stronger...and such character development! Picard deals with the repercussions of having been one of the Borg; Troi finds out what it would be like to no longer have her empathic abilities; Dr. Crusher falls in love with an alien; LaForge BECOMES an alien; Riker almost dies while studying an alien planet; Data explores human romance and love; Wesley finally goes to Starfleet Academy; Worf loses his mate and gains a son; and Tasha Yar returns as...a Romulan???
I can only hope season 5 is just as good as season 4!
I loooove Star Trek: TNG.......2007-05-07
This was the show that I loved most of Star Trek (other than the occasional love of Kirk or Spock) but TNG really opened Star Trek back up to the world... I wish this show was even now still in action but all things must come to an end I suppose. But I do enjoy having my DVDs to watch on occasion.
Excellent Season.......2007-04-27
This is my favorite season. Here the show really took off and had terrific episodes focusing on the characters. Buy it! You won't regret it!
Arguably the best season.......2007-04-04
While I love most of the series, I really think as a whole this season was the best. The characters are finally natural, wihout really having to act the character out. Tons of character development was done, plenty of relatives appeared this season. Also, I loved the payoff of previous entries into the series. Reunion, Lore, and others. While other seasons had great episodes and are a joy to watch, this is the one that really is a non-stop great ride.
Average customer rating:
- Fantastic series, pretty good first season
- An average start to what would become a great series
- 20 years already?!
- New Crew, New Light
- "Lets See What's Out There"
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Star Trek The Next Generation - The Complete First Season
Starring:
Patrick Stewart ,
Jonathan Frakes ,
LeVar Burton ,
Denise Crosby , and
Michael Dorn
Director:
Corey Allen
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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Accessories:
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Star Trek: Bridge Commander
ASIN: B00005Y1NF
Release Date: 2002-03-26 |
Description
25 episodes on 7 discs: Encounter at Farpoint, The Naked Now, Code of Honor, The Last Outpost, Where No One Has Gone Before, Lonely Among Us, Justice, The Battle, Hide and Q, Haven, The Big Goodbye, Datalore, Angel One, 11001001, Too Short a Season, When the Bough Breaks, Home Soil, Coming of Age, Heart of Glory, The Arsenal of Freedom, Symbiosis, Skin of Evil, We'll Always Have Paris, Conspiracy, The Neutral Zone. Four new exclusive featurettes: "The Beginning" (the genesis of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Gene Roddenberry's vision), "Selected Crew Analysis" (first-season cast members discuss their roles), "Making of a Legend" (first-season production staff reminisce about their favorite episodes), "Memorable Missions" (cast and crew discuss key episodes and events of the first season).
Amazon.com
Warping into syndication in 1987, Star Trek: The Next Generation successfully launched its seven-season "continuing mission" of the starship Enterprise, and this classy DVD boxed set gathers the show's inaugural season in crisp picture clarity and dazzling 5.1-channel sound. A ratings leader with a sharp ensemble cast, this revamped Trek honored series creator Gene Roddenberry's original Trek concept, nurtured by returning veterans like producer Robert H. Justman and writers D.C. Fontana and David Gerrold. Several first-season episodes have original-series counterparts, and while the season was awkwardly inconsistent for all involved (including Roddenberry's heir apparent, producer Rick Berman), in retrospect the series began on remarkably solid footing.
Patrick Stewart was perfect as Enterprise Captain Jean-Luc Picard, while Marina Sirtis struggled with a wretched hair bun and an ill-defined character, eventually blessing Counselor Troi with delicate nuance. Denise Crosby made a strong but underutilized impression as Security Chief Tasha Yar, and left the series before season's end, allowing writers to develop Klingon Lieutenant Worf (Michael Dorn) into a fan favorite. Brent Spiner transcended Spock comparisons with his triumphant portrayal of the android Lieutenant Commander Data; and while Jonathan Frakes was accepted as First Officer Will Riker, fans ultimately rejected Wil Wheaton as ensign Wesley Crusher, the teenaged son of the ship's doctor (Gates McFadden). Still, these 25 episodes laid a firm foundation for subsequent seasons, and highlights include the Raymond Chandleresque "holo- novel" of "The Big Goodbye," Data's backstory in "Datalore," the Klingon rituals of "Heart of Glory," and a Romulan encounter in "The Neutral Zone." The DVD supplements (all on the seventh disc) are good enough to make anyone wish for more: four featurettes recall myriad first-season challenges, filled with insider perspective and enough NextGen trivia to satiate all but the most obsessive Trekkers back on Earth. Looking back, it's easy to see why NextGen lived long and prospered. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic series, pretty good first season.......2007-08-09
I first must state that I am a huge Star Trek fan, having discovered the original series in reruns in the mid 1980's. Having spent millions of dollars, er, maybe hundreds of dollars on Star Trek merchandise and memorabilia over the years, I feel confident in being a little critical of some of the lesser efforts, including Season One of Star Trek: The Next Generation (not to mention the worst casting mistake of all time: Kate Mulgrew, which made Voyager unwatchable for me).
When watching this show brand new in 1987, it was spectacular. Just to have any TV version of Star Trek available was great. I remember my accounting professor claiming the new show was 3000 (yes, 3000) times better than the original series. At the time, he was right.
Having recently screened the Season One DVD set again, and with the hindsight of 20 years since its original airing, it is a little hard to believe the show was renewed for a second season. There are many things to criticize about the first season.
For those of you bent on writing one- and two-star reviews comprised of one or two substance-free sentences, I direct you to the review written by Todd Bovair of Wynantskill, NY. His 2-star review is one of the best and most helpful I've read on Amazon. He hits many of the points which make Season One less than a 5-star season.
At the risk of submitting myself to The Wrath of the Trekker, I will add one more point to Mr. Bovair's review that makes Season One less than 5 stars: Gene Roddenberry. Have you noticed how The Great Bird's overbearing viewpoint intrudes on so many story lines? There's no doubt he had an admirable vision, but there is a point where the vision becomes tiresome. From what I've observed, seen, and read, his signature would have been much more boldly written on this season had others not pulled the reins in just a bit now and then.
But I can't speak too harshly. I still think The Next Generation is a fantastic series overall. Taken as a whole, it is easily a 5-star show for me. However, until the creators got their footing in the second season, it is a great effort, but less than the best.
By all means, go buy a copy of this set, especially at the price of just over 50 dollars as of this writing. They were over 100 dollars per season on initial release, so at 50 dollars it's a bargain.
An average start to what would become a great series.......2007-07-27
The episodes in first season of The Next Generation move at a slow and sedate pace--especially compared to 21st century television programming. The show is often stiff and stilted, and many of these early scripts seemed to be trying to recreate the mores of the 1960s. Despite this, there are many enjoyable, if somewhat predictable, stories here. While none of these episodes are instant classics, they do hint at the sheer perfection that would come in later seasons.
20 years already?!.......2007-07-13
It's hard to believe that ST:TNG premiered on television 20 years ago! It's unbelievable how time flies. TNG relaunched and reinvigorated the Trek franchise spawning 3 other new Trek series as well as 4 feature films. ST:TNG is definitely an American legacy.
Of course, I have started my collection with the first season. Some of the better episodes came in subsequent seasons, but I like to watch the series in chronological order. It's very pleasing to watch the characters grow and their relationships with each other become more complex.
Yes, the first season is VERY corny. There are some episodes and/or scenes where I just roll my eyes at the dialogue and situations. But, the cast and crew were just beginning their discoveries of their characters and places in the Trek universe. Once these factors developed, the show improved tremendously.
The extras on the 7th disc are fantastic and a wonderful nostalgia piece. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when the pilot episode premiered. It was a big deal amoung my friends and family (my dad was a classic Trek fan before I was even born so I grew up watching reruns with him).
This set, as well as the remianing six seasons, are definitely worth the money. I love revisiting these shows. It's almost like visiting family that you don't get to see too often.
New Crew, New Light.......2007-06-29
Having first watched this show when I was 14, and being a fan of the original series, It was great to go back and watch them all again with older eyes. I have to admit I hated Wesley Crusher, because I saw him as a "know it all", plus his futuristic cosby sweaters and later his rainbow pleated uniform screamed "dork!" Watching it now, I don't hate him at all! In fact, I have an endearing sense of "he is adorable" coming through. I can respect what it took to be an actor that young, coming off of Stand By Me into a mostly adult cast. The crewmember I ended up hating now, as an adult, was Tasha Yar. She is supposed to be chief of security, yet she is impulsive, and overly emotional! The woman cries all the time, I just wanted worf to back hand her off the bridge. I was so relieved when the "tar monster" snuffed her out. The beginning episodes were a bit rough. The planets were similar to Classic star trek, purple green and fake rocks everywhere, but it worked. The story lines were also hard to get into, although anything with "Q" in it I love! Of course I still detest Jeordi's Banana Clip, and Deanna Trois Phallic hair, but I still adore this season nevertheless, every show has to find its footing and by the end of it they did.
"Lets See What's Out There".......2007-05-16
Watching this DVD does bring back happy nostalgiac memories for me;towards the end of September in 1987 my folks allowed me to stay up until 11:00PM (which seemed like eternity then)to watch the premire of Star Trek:The Next Generation.At the time I was fascinated:the huge ship,these new characters,Q-it was such an grand adventure.Seeing "Encounter At Farpoint" 20 years later my opinion has improved;it's such a different story from anything done in TOS.It's almost like a feature film.A lot of people will tend to critisize this season for not quite being as secure characterizations.That is present here to a certain degree:in episodes such as "Code Of Honor" and "The Last Outpost" Captain Picard tends to make a big deal of being French.Another interesting notion about this season is Worf's smugness and strange lack of purpose;until the unfortunate death of Tasha Yar Worf seemed to be an overly aggresive token Klingon.None of that matters to me though because I think the first season of TNG is one of the best and most unique this show ever did.Actually some of the look of this season I prefer the look of this season,especially early on.The lighter colors of the crew quarters lighting and the jumpsuit uniforms (that would extend through the second season),as well as a lot of character exploration.This first season should be re evaluated by fans who once looked at this corney and incomplete at first.TNG is,to me (even at this stage) is the best of the Star Trek spin offs and has aged beautifully to this day!
Description
22 episodes on 6 discs: The Child, Where Silence Has Lease, Elementary Dear Data, The Outrageous Okona, Loud as a Whisper, The Schizoid Man, Unnatural Selection, A Matter of Honor, The Measure of a Man, The Dauphin, Contagion, The Royale, Time Squared, The Icarus Factor, Pen Pals, Q Who?, Samaritan Snare, Up the Long Ladder, Manhunt, The Emissary, Peak Performance, Shades of Gray.
Amazon.com
To the delight of Star Trek fans everywhere, the stellar second season of The Next Generation (1988-89) belonged to Lieutenant Commander Data. As the Enterprise-D's resident android, Data (in the Emmy-worthy hands of Brent Spiner) would gain legal sentience in the season highlight "The Measure of a Man," and his increasingly "human" personality would refine itself in such diverse episodes as "Elementary, Dear Data" (Data as Sherlock Holmes), "The Outrageous Okona" (a misfire, but worthy from the Data perspective), and "Pen Pals." While Gates McFadden (Dr. Crusher) took a sabbatical of then-unknown duration (gracefully replaced by original Trek guest star Diana Muldaur as Dr. Pulaski), the remaining bridge crew would match Data's vitality: Riker grew a handsome beard and proved his command potential; Worf became richly nuanced in "The Icarus Factor," and met his match (and mate) in guest Suzie Plakson's fiercely Klingon sexpot K'Ehleyr; Wesley matured admirably, despite continuing fan disapproval; Betazed culture emerged as Troi locked horns with her eccentric mother, Lwaxana (Majel Barrett, in a recurring role); and La Forge made good on his promotion to chief engineer while Chief O'Brien (Colm Meaney) flawlessly rode on Geordi's coattails.
In a crucial series development, Guinan (special guest Whoopi Goldberg) revealed a connection to Q in her helpful capacity as Ten-Forward's enigmatic host, while Q himself (John DeLancie) precipitated the Enterprise's first, fateful encounter with the Borg (in the suspenseful "Q Who?"). Through it all, Patrick Stewart brilliantly intensified all of Picard's renaissance qualities (especially in the dazzling "Time Squared"), exploring the captain's facets with equal measures of curiosity, fascination, amusement, courage, and philosophical insight. Despite its lame finale with the money-saving clip-show "Shades of Gray," season 2 charted a warp-nine course to the even better season 3. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
Good series to own.......2007-07-29
It is great to see how the characters develop from the first season. Dr. Polaski's character is good for the series(Whoopi too!). Did you know that she actually featured in the Original Series? There are some interviews in the last disc and you can actually see how she looked eons ago. I recommend this series.
A step up.......2007-07-27
While season one of The Next Generation was merely average, season two sees the show really coming together. The stories are, for the most part, an improvement--much less stiff and stilted. The cast seems to be more comfortable with their characters, as well.
There are several notable episodes. Elementary, Dear Data; The Measure of a Man; Time Squared; and Q Who which introduced the Borg are personal favorites.
All in all, this is a good season, laying the groundwork for the great seasons that would follow.
Perfect Gift.......2007-06-12
I bought this as a birthday gift for my husband. It the was perfect gift for a Star Trek TNG fan. He can barely contain himself from watching the whole season straight through.
Worth the watch........2007-05-23
I have been a Trekkie most of my life, but I had to say that I was somewhat disappointed with the first TNG season. It seemed too slow, almost tedious at times. It almost suprises me that there was a second season, but I'm glad that there was. The second season is a definate improvement. I have nothing against Dr. Crusher, but I do like Dr. Pulaski much better. Another thing in its favour is the character developments in the second season. I like getting to know the characters better and seeing what they do with their lives, rather than just the wonders the ship has to offer. Probably the best episodes in this season, in my humble opinion, were Manhunt, Elementary, Dear Data, The Child, and Up the Long Ladder. Definately worth the watch.
Buy it for Dr. Pulaski!.......2007-04-08
Although later seasons had more really good episodes and saw more development in the core characters, this season is worth buying just for the stellar performance of Diana Muldaur as Dr. Pulaski. We never liked the character of Dr. Crusher, who was weak at best, and were greatly disappointed when she returned to replace the far superior Dr. Pulaski. My families' favorite episodes were the one with Lor, Data's brother, and the one where Pulaski operates on Captain Picard, which did a great deal to develop the characters of Picard and Wesley Crusher as well as the good doctor. We give it 4 stars for Diana Muldaur's sake.
Average customer rating:
- MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!
- The only WORTHY one that included the NEW Generation
- Nearly On Par with Serenity as a Faithful Adaption
- My Least Favorite Star Trek Movie
- GREAT BUY!!!!
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Star Trek - Generations (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
Starring:
Patrick Stewart ,
Jonathan Frakes ,
Brent Spiner ,
LeVar Burton , and
Michael Dorn
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ASIN: B0002HDOB8
Release Date: 2004-09-28 |
Amazon.com
There were only two ways for "classic Trek" cast members to appear in a movie with the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation: either Capt. Kirk and his contemporaries would have to be very, very old, or there would be some time travel involved in the plot. Since geriatric heroes aren't very exciting (despite a welcomed cameo appearance by the aged Dr. McCoy), Star Trek: Generations unites Capt. Kirk (William Shatner) and Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) in a time-jumping race to stop a madman's quest for heavenly contentment. When a mysterious energy coil called the Nexus nearly destroys the newly christened U.S.S. Enterprise-B, the just-retired Capt. Kirk is lost and presumed dead. But he's actually been happily trapped in the timeless purgatory of the Nexus--an idyllic state of being described by the mystical Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) as "pure joy." Picard must convince Kirk to leave this artificial comfort zone and confront Dr. Soran (Malcolm McDowell), the madman who will threaten billions of lives to be reunited with the addictive pleasure of the Nexus. With subplots involving the android Data's unpredictable "emotion chip" and the spectacular crash-landing of the starship Enterprise, this crossover movie not only satisfied Trek fans, but it also gave them something they'd never had to confront before: the heroic and truly final death of a beloved Star Trek character. Passing the torch to the Next Generation with dignity and entertaining adventure, the movie isn't going to please everyone with its somewhat hokey plot, but it still ranks as a worthy big-screen launch for Picard and his stalwart crew. --Jeff Shannon
Description
A two-disc collectable box set containing exclusive bonus features, STAR TREK GENERATIONS - SPECIAL COLLECTOR'S EDITION fast forwards to the 23rd century, uniting crew members from the original series with the Next Generation crew. In STAR TREK GENERATIONS - SPECIAL COLLECTOR'S EDITION, a test run takes an unexpected turn when the starship encounters two vessels trapped inside the Nexus, a mysterious energy ribbon. During a perilous rescue attempt, Kirk is swept out into space. Seven decades later, captain Jean-Luc Picard (Stewart) and the crew of Enterprise-D rescue an El Aurian physicist named Soran (McDowell). Unbeknownst to Picard, Soran harbors a deadly plan that includes the destruction of the Enterprise and millions of lives. Picard's only hope for a future lies within the Nexus.
Customer Reviews:
MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-24
Star Trek: Generations - truly a loving gift from one generation to the next. Much like that 15-pound, 10 percent water-added Danish ham that your uncle Clark who lives in Rockford mailed to you on Thanksgiving, the one that cracked open in transport and arrived at your doorstop in a brine soaked box, stinking like a week old corpse. Yes, this is the legendary Star Trek that at long last teams two of the series' most enduring elements - Scotty, and a size 74 uniform. Not to mention a performance by respected British actor Malcolm McDowell that can only be described as, well, dis-un-respect-ulating. And Klingon cleavage? Generations has it in great heaping mounds!
Mike and Kevin Murphy climb once more unto the breach for a fun-filled, intergenerational riff.
The only WORTHY one that included the NEW Generation.......2007-07-10
I loved Star Trek: TNG the series. When I heard they were going to start making movies with these folks I was stoked. When I saw THIS finished product, I was encouraged that they could carry on the legacy begun by Captain Kirk, et al.
I'm a bit sad to say that my faith was unfounded. This was, unfortunately, the last worthwhile moment of onscreen time for the new generation of Enterprise crew. Okay so I admit First Contact was pretty good. Still, from this movie onward, things went downhill QUICKLY!
But as for this movie, it was a wonderful blend of old and new. A literal passing of the torch as it were. Too bad TNG crew eventually dropped the torch and sent the Star Trek franchise down in flames!!
Nearly On Par with Serenity as a Faithful Adaption.......2007-05-01
I'll admit, the makers of this movie took some bad missteps, such as reusing effects footage from another film and perhaps spending a bit too little time brainstorming the film's central space battle. HOWEVER, with that said, this movie did not deserve alot of the bad press it got. As a rabid fan of the Next Generation on TV, I can say that stylistically, thematically and aesthetically, this film has much in common with the TV show from which it originated, which I suspect, is where it ran into trouble. Simply put, the style of the Next Gen TV show was dissimilar to that of the more recent original series films. Unlike the later Trek film incarnations, Generations, like the TV show, wasn't all about action, explosions and phaser rifles. It was about cool ideas. From the destruction of the Enterprise D, to the disastrous introduction of Data's heretofore barely referenced emotion chip, Generations seems designed to make the audience uncomfortable by employing eerie plot twists and evocative lighting. By doing so, it achieved something profound. It made the audience appreciate just how exposed these characters who we love are to the cold, awesome forces operating within the universe, making the viewer want to cling to them all that much more.
As the character Q once said on the TV show, "It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But it's not for the timid."
Like the more recent Serenity, Generations took chances, and did so with respect for its source material.
My Least Favorite Star Trek Movie.......2007-03-28
First, let me give the pluses. This movie was a bridge between the Star Trek casts. It also hit science fiction at its best with the Nexus utopia, shown to be pleasant but not the best. Malcolm McDowell was a good villain, though not at Alex DeLarge (A Clockwork Orange) proportions.
The strength of each of the Star Trek incarnations is a great ensemble. There is some heirarchy, but you still have a team feeling. This movie does not develop either the original or the Next Generation ensembles. The focus is only on three characters: Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart), and Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg), who took the mentor role in this story. There are only short appearances from the original cast, and only enough interaction of the Next Generation cast to show they're there.
There were other ways one could have bridged the gap that could have been better and more satisfying.
GREAT BUY!!!!.......2007-02-09
Delivery was prompt and in good condition. I gave you a 4 because the DVD case itself looked to be sundamaged or exposed to too much heat, as the plastic cover was wrinkled as if someone took a flame to it.
Description
26 episodes on 7 discs: Descent Part II, Liaisons, Interface, Gambit Part I, Gambit Part II, Phantasms, Dark Page, Attached, Force of Nature, Inheritance, Parallels, The Pegasus, Homeward, Sub Rosa, Lower Decks, Thine Own Self, Masks, Eye of the Beholder, Genesis, Journey's End, Firstborn, Bloodlines, Emergence, Preemptive Strike, All Good Things... Part I, All Good Things... Part II.
Amazon.com
The seventh and final season of Star Trek: The Next Generation will always remain a curiosity in TV sci-fi history. Despite the end being definite, despite Deep Space Nine taking over, despite knowing there'd be a movie six months after the series' end, and despite Babylon 5 starting that year with its predetermined story arc, there is nothing here to suggest things were coming to a close. Wesley finally gets dispatched ("Journey's End"), but everyone was waiting for that anyway. Some continuity was attempted: there's a sequel to season 1's "The Battle" ("Bloodlines"), Alexander follows the Klingon soap saga through ("Firstborn"), the Maquis and the Cardassians are mentioned several times, and there are final installments for Lwaxana Troi, Barclay, Lore, Guinan, and Ro Laren. None of this brings any form of resolution, however.
The one-off story lines seem to throw out ideas that beg for development. "Force of Nature" suggests frequent high-warp travel is damaging the very fabric of space/time. "Parallels" has Worf experiencing multiple realities, including one in which the Borg won at Wolf 359. "Lower Decks" finally introduces some secondary crew from the more than a thousand supposedly supporting Picard and company. There are even hints at some romance at long last between Dr. Crusher and Picard as well as Worf and Troi. In the long run, even after terrific guest spots from Trek alumni Armin Shimerman and Robin Curtis, and from Paul Sorvino and Kirsten Dunst, there's one thing for which the final year is remembered: "All Good Things..." is a near-perfect denouement for the show. With terrific production values and FX, not to mention standout performances from all concerned, it was an amazing surprise to have Q suggest there'd been a story arc right from the get-go. If only this final script had been fully conceived earlier on, The Next Generation might not have been overshadowed by the glut of TV sci-fi that followed in its wake. --Paul Tonks
Customer Reviews:
Star Trek's Fall Of Rome.......2007-05-10
I know that may seem a grandiose claim but Season 7 of Star Trek:The Next Generation truely represents the conclusion of an era in Star Trek that should never have been allowed to end.TNG was the most well realized and conceptualized of all the Star Trek spin off's thus far,as well as being probably THE most intellectually challanging.I would've though my endless exposure to these episodes over the years would've destroyed much of it's appeal.But that hasn't happened.So....I could give a review to every respective episode featured here but since that has been done by one too many I will focus my comments on specifics.This season offers up a lot of family oriented stories such as 'Inheritence' which explores Data meetin his "mother","Journey's End" about Wesleys fate and "Birthright" about Alexander's fate.This season also explores a number of very interesting story lines such as the real life ghost story of "Sub Rosa" all the way to the entire crew de evolving from a synthetic T-Cell defect in "Genesis".And since TNG began with one of the best Star Trek pilots ever it ended with probably the best finale ever in "All Good Things",which actually references the beginning,finding everything coming full circle,right down to an appearance by Denise Crosby as Tasha Yar.As far as the DVD it looks great;the picture is presented well and because the last several seasons were obviously filmed on state of the art film they were far easier digitally remastered then...say Star Trek The Next Generation - The Complete First Season, a lot of which was filmed in 1987.I spent many a year wondering why a series like TNG,which presented the most thoughtful science fiction I've ever seen on TV,almost to the point of having the "fiction" part removed and being merely space drama,decided to make movies and not remain on TV for another four seasons or so.I believe it could've gone on that long;I really do.As much as I loved most of it 'Deep Space Nine' and even some of 'Voyager' showed heavy where and tare on quality in their later seasons;the quality of Star Trek in general was starting to slip around 1996-1999 but TNG was during a time where Star Trek could do no wrong and this really captures that spirit so well.Having TNG in 5.1 surround sound is great,as well as having the shows presented with the image quality of a theatrical film.In addition to having bonus features any lover of TNG will want to have this DVD in their collection and to anyone unlucky enough never to have seen it in it's original timeframe?Well I would;it's a significant moment in television history I wonder will ever be succeeded again,by Star Trek or anyone else.
All good things..........2007-04-22
The Star Trek Collection is a worthy hobby and certainly the largest of the television series DVD Collections (The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise). At around 1100 minutes per box (a few hours less than the TOS seasons) we are still looking at approx 30 boxes with 700 hours of viewing. That is 1 month of non-stop Star Trek. No DVD series comes remotely close to that. Get going collecting right now and build up on each succession over the years. By the end you will have a very serious anthology that defines the word awe. This is the kind of item that requires 1 hour a day of your time for the next few years. It is a cherished memory that served your fathers and will serve your children also. Our very planet, Earth, has advanced because of Gene Roddenberry's admirable concept. Roddenberry nailed the premise of the series when he said that he wanted to create a show with characters that we could look up too. `The Bridge' members are like our family. Watch what they do. Then go and spend your life striving for the same on Earth. What engineer, medic, scientist, teacher, worker can not say that Star Trek has not influenced them? The show is this significant in the development of our species. Even Christians respect and quote its authority and it is not hard to see why. The DVD case is not quite as fancy as the TOS (The Original Series) cases. The TNG case is supposed to resemble a TNG crew briefcase. The case opens to reveal the disc booklet inside a sleeve. Sliding the disc booklet out of the sleeve and flipping it open reveals a spread of 7 discs. There are 4 episodes per disc. However the last disc, disc 7, only has two episodes, for a grand total of 26 episodes (TOS has 8 Discs, 30 episodes). The rest of disc 7 is devoted to Star Trek interviews and trailers with the usual expected extras...and then some more. The episodes are ordered not in the sequence they where filmed, but in the sequence that they aired, however each episode has been numbered according to the order they where filmed in. This means on one disc you have shows 4, 2, 12 and 1, in that order although Season Three was aired fairly much according to the chronological produced order except for episode one and two which are switched around. The sound has also been remastered to 5:1 Dolby Digital! Since the show was shot in full frame, these dimensions are retained.
Star Trek, The Next Generation (TNG) had an amazing impact when it was first broadcast. An instant hit and a milestone in television serials (it ran for 7 seasons unlike its predecessor that ran for 3), its characters and new look Enterprise had us glued to the TV with the first computer generated images of our solar system as Captain Picard utters the immortal words... `To baldly'... I mean... `To boldly go where no man'... I mean... `To boldly go where no one has gone before.' Star Trek: Season 7 is of course winding down to a conclusion, making way for some Star Trek films, but in reality it is Deep Space Nine: Season 2 (DS9: Season 1 starts in star date chronological order with TNG: Season 6) that is the new trek. Fans of Star Trek got their twofold measure of these series through 1993 and 1994 making it an exceptional SF TV era. The conclusion of "Descent, Part II" has the finale of Lore. Most of the main characters from Season Two are here, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Commander William T. Riker, Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge, Lieutenant Commander Worf, Commander Deanna Troi, Lieutenant Commander Data and Dr. Beverly Crusher. Ensign Wesley Crusher (who departed from Season Four half way and has a recurring role instead of a main character in the remaining seasons) returns for one episode. While Ensign Ro Laren, a Bajoran, was supposed to replace him, she only appears in one episode in Season 7, although the episode is a major one focused on her. Colm Meaney shows up again as Miles Edward O'Brien for the last episode. Whoopi Goldberg's Guinan is gone without explanation (see the movie "Star Trek: Nemesis" on her). Alexander Rozhenko is back. Keiko O'Brien, (Miles O'Brien's wife) is not here either (after leaving for DS9). Lieutenant Reginald Barclay, engineer, is back again. Season 6 of TNG is mostly about Lore, emotional studies, interfaces, mercenaries, nightmares, psychic trauma, Beverly and Picard, warp travel environmental damage, data's mother, alternate realities, the Pegasus, Worf's human brother, incubus, top secret missions, radiation sickness, deities, Troi and Worf, reverse evolution, Wesley and the Traveller, Klingon right of ascension, Picard's son, abiogenesis, Ro Laren and time travel. While there are some hit and miss episodes and a really terrible one ("Masks" for example is one of the worst of the entire franchise) most are well above average and some are incredible. Memorable episodes include, Gambit, Forces of Nature, Inheritance, Lower Decks, Thine Own Self, Journey's end and Bloodlines. The Pegasus is probably the best episode of the Season, but the finale "All good things..." is really where it is at with some good aging effects, a possible future with an older looking cast and an futuristic Enterprise to die for. The series ends very warmly and with a nicer note about the possibilities of looking within instead of charting stars and galaxies for a newer greater trek. In short there is nothing like ST:TNG. It evolved TV serials into mega media and ran for a full span of 7 years. It set a new benchmark and placed the bar as high as the stars. All we can say about this awe-inspiring series can be summed up in one word...
...AMEN.
A bit of a dissapointment.......2007-03-08
I'm truly sorry to say that this season was not as good as the previous six were. I blame the writers, poor storyline in many shows.
The final and one of the more mediocre seasons.......2007-03-03
As the seventh and final season of Star Trek-The Next Generation rolled around, it became apparent that as intelligently written as TNG episodes were, they would never address the biggest scientific inaccuracies of Star Trek, which dated back to the original series. One being the fact that in reality, if you were traveling in space at a multi-light velocity, the stars would not be whizzing by, they would still appear stationary and off in the distance. And time-travel, which TNG especially put a lot of emphasis on. Star Trek always treated time like it was some kind of electro-magnetic field that could be manipulated, which it is not. It can't be affected by sling-shotting around a sun, it cannot be disrupted by an explosion in space, and a hole cannot be punched in it like it's some kind of tangible fabric. And there's no such thing as a time-warp. But the myth of time-travel helped to provide some very interesting stories, especially for TNG. And I could always suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy these episodes. Although it did tend to get a little confusing at times. Like the time disruption surrounding Tasha Yar, with "Yesterday's Enterprise," where she ended up dying in two different realities, where she had a daughter in one reality, but not the other. And "Time's Arrow," where Data's head was found in a cave underneath San Francisco. But what's confusing is that when the head was found in the cave, the time-travel incident that caused Data's head to get there, didn't happen yet. So how could Data's head have been there at that time? But as fiction, I still like these episodes-it just doesn't seem to make sense sometimes, and to an extent, even fiction needs to make some kind of sense. But since time-travel provided a tool for so many interesting stories in TNG, I guess it's ridiculous to complain too much about it.
The seventh season of TNG had a few good episodes, but had its share of mediocre ones, as well. I'd say more so than the three best seasons of TNG, 3, 4 and 5. The seventh season ep. that I thought was the most bland and pointless was "Bloodlines." But there were the better ones, Like "Eye of the Beholder," which also had that occasional Next Gen. knack for being a little vague in explaining things towards the end of the episode, but I think I guessed what was going on correctly. The sixth season "Frame of Mind" did that too, but I think I figured that out as well. That was another great episode, otherwise. And season seven's really good episodes, like "Phantasms," "Parallels" and the excellent series finale, "All Good Things," which is the best "Q" episode.
Seven is not a bad season to buy, but as far as which season would be the best ones to own, I'd say 3,
Star Trek The Original Series - The Complete Seasons 1-3
Star Trek The Next Generation - The Complete Seasons 1-7
Star Trek The Animated Series - The Animated Adventures of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek
Star Trek The Next Generation - The Complete First Season
The Adventures of Indiana Jones - The Complete DVD Movie Collection (Widescreen Edition)
