What was the turning point of TNG?

Myrddin

Having completed watching TOS, I moved onto TNG. Im watching them all sequentially, and am wondering - at what point in the series, did TNG evolve into the polished & true show that it became?

For me, the first incling of the change, was in season 2 - Time Squared. From this point on, I think the show found its direction, and became what we all now love....

Further thoughts?

Cookie_Monster

Pretty much in line with losing the uniforms with the line of colour at the top.

Kiith

When they got collars on their uniforms.

_Kaiser_

I'd say season 3 myself - Deja Q (Q loses his powers and before he became a shadow of himself later on in the series/Voyager), Yesterday's Enterprise (brilliant), Sins of the Father (great Klingon episode) and of course Best of Both Worlds

nyarlothothep

Season 2 is where it got better, season 3 cemented it. Season 2 had Q Who which was pretty extreme for trek, picard got his ass kicked, Q suddenly becomes less of a joker and more of a stern educator like that dude in kill bill, the borg were very cool at that point because all the aliens in trek had been reflections of humanity, the borg however were just totally indifferent to that which made them intimidating. Also has one of the best lines in trek spoken by Q at the end.

The early season uniforms weren't that bad were they?, they were functional and futuristic.

Klingon Hamlet

The S1 and S2 TNG uniforms were extremely embarrassingly bad. Skintight leotards with weird collarless neck,er no thanks. The collared uniforms had more severe cut to them and really looked the part. It was like the show finally took itself seriously, in aesthetic and in tone.

(I for one pretend S1 and 2 don't even exist. Dr Polaski? No. Yar being head of security and then eaten by an evil black blob? No. Everyone drunk and a little randy? Puh-leeeeease!)

Yesterday's Enterprise was awesome and did you know: written and filmed within a matter of days?

Goodshape

Season 3. Which was, I believe, when they changed their uniforms.

Though I actually really like the first two seasons, just so long as it's not a f*cking Wesley episode.

Myrddin

nyarlothothep wrote: »

Season 2 is where it got better, season 3 cemented it. Season 2 had Q Who which was pretty extreme for trek, picard got his ass kicked, Q suddenly becomes less of a joker and more of a stern educator like that dude in kill bill, the borg were very cool at that point because all the aliens in trek had been reflections of humanity, the borg however were just totally indifferent to that which made them intimidating. Also has one of the best lines in trek spoken by Q at the end.

The early season uniforms weren't that bad were they?, they were functional and futuristic.

Fully agree, I was wondering about the actual turning point of the series, not the best season. Midway through S2 is where she started turning...

Nodin

Once Riker got the beard, it was a gradual improvement (with - as mentioned above - the exception of 'Wesley' moments).

Svalbard

Agree with the above, Season 1 and 2 were a bit painful, but there were glimmers of hope.
I really liked the episode Conspiracy, quite dark and sinister. Although it was not how the show ultimately evolved, it is still a good one to watch and think what could have been, that TNG could have taken that very dark direction.

Also really liked season 2's Q Who.

From season 3 it blossomed. Season 4 and 5 were the best. Began to wane and become a little jaded in season 6, and by season 7 it was definitely time to call it a day.
Thats not to say there weren't some great episodes. The Lower Decks is still one of my favourite episodes.

Johnny Storm

Svalbard wrote: »

Also really liked season 2's Q Who.

IMHO that particular ep, where they first encounter the Borg, was the turning point for TNG. The tone became a lot darker and they moved away from trying to recreate TOS

L31mr0d

For me it has to be "The Survivors" in season 3. The final scene in that episode was chilling and really changed the tone of the series for me. It seems to get a lot darker and metaphysical after that episode imo.

Johnny Storm

L31mr0d wrote: »

For me it has to be "The Survivors" in season 3. The final scene in that episode was chilling and really changed the tone of the series for me. It seems to get a lot darker and metaphysical after that episode imo.

Nice house, good tea.

Svalbard

L31mr0d wrote: »

For me it has to be "The Survivors" in season 3. The final scene in that episode was chilling and really changed the tone of the series for me. It seems to get a lot darker and metaphysical after that episode imo.

Is that the one with the Husnock? And the two people living all alone on a planet?
Very good episode, really stands out in my mind even though I was 5 or 6 when i first saw it!
It's actually quite like a TOS episode - 2 people all alone on a planet, he isn't what he appears, keeping secrets from her etc etc.

L31mr0d

Svalbard wrote: »

Is that the one with the Husnock? And the two people living all alone on a planet?
Very good episode, really stands out in my mind even though I was 5 or 6 when i first saw it!

Yeah the episode as a whole is more of a mystery than anything, then the final reveal at the end is what really knocked me back when I seen it as a kid...

I didn't kill just one Husnock, or a hundred, or a thousand ... I killed them all ... all Husnock ... everywhere.

Khannie

Can you lot stop giving episode names without a brief synopsis of what happened. I mean, I really like Star Trek and all....but not THAT much.

On topic: the improvement started in season 2 for me. Season 1 was terrible stuff. I actually skipped most of it when rewatching from start to finish last year.

L31mr0d

Khannie wrote: »

Can you lot stop giving episode names without a brief synopsis of what happened. I mean, I really like Star Trek and all....but not THAT much.

Maybe have this link open in another tab for "ctrl-f" reference.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek_TNG_episodes

PetKing

Gene Rodenberry's vision was a bit dodgy, and dated. All very self inferring and idealistic. When Rick Berman took the reigns mid season 4, the Star Trek universe gained an edge.. a badly needed edge, coarse and gritty!

ninety6days

PetKing wrote: »

Gene Rodenberry's vision was a bit dodgy, and dated. All very self inferring and idealistic. When Rick Berman took the reigns mid season 4, the Star Trek universe gained an edge.. a badly needed edge, coarse and gritty!

you're so wrong man. It's like you're watching star trek and you don't even love it like all of us do. TNG reached it's peak around season 2 when the war with the vulcans ended.

Myrddin

ninety6days wrote: »

you're so wrong man. It's like you're watching star trek and you don't even love it like all of us do. TNG reached it's peak around season 2 when the war with the vulcans ended.

TNG peaked in Season 2?? Seriously??
War with the Vulcans???

Seriously man, please explain...

ninety6days

EnterNow wrote: »

TNG peaked in Season 2?? Seriously??
War with the Vulcans???

Seriously man, please explain...

the vulcans are the ones with the ridges on their head, like your man mr worp, isnt it?

somuj

ninety6days wrote: »

the vulcans are the ones with the ridges on their head, like your man mr worp, isnt it?

mr worp drive is it??:D

Myrddin

ninety6days wrote: »

the vulcans are the ones with the ridges on their head, like your man mr worp, isnt it?

Oh yeah, sorry I forgot. Those Klingons mixed me up, with all that logic of theirs and all that :rolleyes:

Myrddin

Having completed watching All Good Things last night, which brought the show to an end, I think Ive answered my own question. TNG's turning point was late/mid season two, peaked season 4 and 5, declined in season 6, and took its foor off the gas through season 7, although concluded with an epic finale.

How episodes like Sub Rosa, Bloodlines & Emergence were picked for the last season Ill never know. The reason I say this is, the writers had an open script policy in place, and they literally would have been overwhelmed with possible stories/ideas. The last season also had some truly great shows like Parallels, The Pegasus, I actually liked Journeys End, and Genesis.

All in all, Trek, for the most part, as it should be.