Was "Star Trek: The Next Generation" really that much better than the other Trek series which followed

Question

Granted, "Enterprise" had it's faults, but what do Trek fans think of TNG, "Deep Space Nine" and "Voyager" now that all of them are done?

Thank you all for your opinions. Some very good points raised here. While I do have my favorites, I much prefer to put these opinion questions to vote.

Answer 1

Yes, TNG is definitely better than the others. I was a big fan of the original Star Trek, and initially didn't like TNG, mainly because the pilot episode stank. At first I liked "Enterprise", partly because I really liked Scott Bakula in Quantum Leap. But eventually the episodes became progressively off the wall, and I lost interest. I also never liked Borg episodes in any of the series. As for DSN and "Voyager", I never could get into them at all. I started viewing TNG towards the end, really liked it after getting to know the characters, and now have many tapes. Now I think of the original as childish, although they did quite well considering the available technology of the time.

Answer 2

The Next Generation is not "that much" better, but it's better. It had the most memorable characters and it was the first (new show) to explore all the plotlines and themes that make Star Trek great.

Deep Space Nine had a couple of problems. First was that it took place on a space station. So they couldn't really explore. To get around this, they brought the Dominion in from the worm hole. This was dramatic, but the show became like a soap opera. If you didn't watch every episode, you couldn't follow the story. TNG never had that problem.

Voyager was kind of a return to form, with the ship exploring far off regions of space. There were some problems with the characters, though. Tuvok was underused, but Harry Kim was underdeveloped. Nelix was just, well, annoying. The only really great characters were the Doctor, Chakotay and Seven of Nine. Also the Torres/Paris romance was totally flat. Lastly, the show ran into the Gilligan's Island trap - every other episode they had found a way home, but then it didn't pan out.

Most importantly, DS9 and Voyager could never overcome that they came later. After 7 seasons of TNG, most of the potential plots had been used. It was hard for those later shows to be exciting and original.

Oh, and Enterprise was just a T & A fest. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Answer 3

The way I see it, TNG was the fulfillment of The Original Series, which had been cancelled prematurely--sure, there were differences, but the series basically employed the same format and the same vision that TOS did. People love TNG because it was basically an updated TOS (and, of course, at the time it and TOS were all there were of Trek).

DS9 was the next logical step--a crew that didn't always get along, characters whose personas came in shades of gray, a consistent setting that allowed the crew to explore causes and consequences of their actions (instead of heading off into the sunset at the end of each episode). It suffered a bit from not quite finding its direction at first; there's a distinct bifurcation between the first two seasons that dealt with Bajor and Sisko's role as the Emissary, and the rest of the series with the Dominion conflict, and the final season was somewhat clumsy with having to tie the two distinct subplots together and having to deal with replacing a cast member. But overall, DS9 is Trek at its most thoughtful and most effective, and even the "weak" first season episodes of DS9 outshine most of Enterprise's offerings. Because it was more serial it was harder to follow for casual watchers, and it didn't make an impact on the mainstream the way TNG and TOS did, but IMO it was the best of Trek; sadly, it was downhill from there.

Voyager was a case of missed opportunities and lost potential--the story promised a series full of conflict, a straightforward serial format, and a crew out on their own without the safety net of the Federation. But the Maquis/Starfleet conflict was glossed over very quickly, the "reset button" had its heyday, and Voyager regressed into TNG Lite. It had its gems, and eventually hit its stride as the dumbed-down, out-there breed of Trek, but it could've been so much more.

Enterprise--the less said, the better. Trek did need to raise the stakes in terms of not making the crew comfortable, and did need to restore a "sense of wonder" to the franchise, but I always felt a prequel was the cheap and lazy way to do it. The crew's personalities were thin as cardboard, the captain was bombastic and uncharismatic, and it was just hard to care about anyone except maybe for Trip (the most accessible of the characters); the way the show danced around continuity was also irritating, to say the least. I thought the Xindi arc was the beginning of its redemption, and carried through to a generally fan-pleasing fourth season that IMO merited a fifth (that it never got), but it was clear by then that it was never going to be the "torch-bearer" series that carried on the franchise after TOS and TNG. And its cancellation was the final nail in the coffin of Star Trek as we knew it.

Answer 4

Time for Star Trek to move on I say. Between The Next Generation, DS9, & Voyager I think they covered the 24th Century pretty well I would set the next Star Trek series in The 25th Century and base it on exploring the Beta Quadrant which has so far been untouched by Trek shows, this opens up possibilities for all types of interactions and conflicts with as yet undiscoverd new races. I would make the ship a newer version of the Enterprise and I think it's time for an alien captain such as a Romulan or Kilngon for example or a decendant of an older Enterprise crew member like Archer or Sulu or Spock. I would also like to see another Borg and Hologram or Android crew member and an Andorian and Romulan as part of the crew this time. Didn't expect a Star Wars fan to be a Trekie, did You?

Answer 5

I always liked Star Trek The Original Series, Star Trek The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager. I just couldn't get into enterprise to be honest with you. It just didn't live up to all the other series. Oh and all the people who have an avatar with a firemans hat on are geeks.

Answer 6

I loved all the Star Trek series, but if I had to choose one over the others, it would be The Next Generation. As for Enterprise, its first season was not so great but it was showing signs of real improvement by the time it was cancelled. Sure wish they hadn't done that. I think if it had been given the time to grow more , Enterprise would have been seen as on a par with the other series.

Answer 7

TNG was hands down the best. But you do bring up a good point which is that the later shows tend to seem a lot better in retrospect. I think Trek fans become loyal to a show and then aren't as willing to accept the new characters/story of the new shows so that it takes time for them to accept them I guess. Also, it takes at least a season for the characters and stories to really develop and grow into themselves.

Answer 8

TNG was the best! I liked Enterprise, too especially last season was great. Voyager was good but I think it had lack of pretty women such as Troi, I didn't like DS9 but I haven't watched most of the episodes. I think TNG was really great. STAR TREK rocks!!!

Answer 9

I personally didn't like DS9 as much as TNG because it was on a station, so they were usually in one place. I loved Voyager, but I really think TNG is pretty classic, and I grew up watching it with my dad, so that's why it's my favorite series.

Answer 10

love Star Trek TNG: Except for Troi, she was always sensing something but couldn't quite make it out..ever. Q was the best villian..

Deep Space and Voyager were good attempts, but not as good..