Why are we here?

Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) was a show that shaped a large part of my youth. It was the first show I can remember that I called my own. There were a number of shows that I watched with my family, I Love Lucy, Get Smart, and all the TGIF "Classics", but none of them held the same sense of ownership for me that TNG did. It was the show that I recorded and watched for myself. It was the first TV show that I can remember needing to see every week. And it was the show that caused me to dutifully maintain the VCR recording schedule.

But so much has changed in television since then. At the time, it was, for the most part, the only Sci-Fi show on television (at least American television). It also existed before the explosion of long-form story-telling. It wasn't until shows were sold on DVD that we saw season-long story arcs where every show needed to be seen in order. There were some outliers (Dallas, Twin Peaks and Babylon 5 all come to mine), but most shows were still one-off weekly stories. By having mostly self-contained episodes, TNG embraced the idea of Sci-Fi as allegory (much like The Twilight Zone). Each episode offered an opportunity to talk about something in everyday life in a way that, in their best moments, removed the baggage of the present.

Unfortunately, like many shows, TNG had some good days and some bad ones. In particular, I remember the first two seasons as being terrible. When the J.J. Abrams reboot came out, a friend of mine, who had never seen Star Trek, decided to watch TNG. She is a huge Sci-Fi fan and she had read several articles about how great TNG was. I tried warning her, but I don't think she made it through two episodes.

In a modern context, a lot of TNG does not hold up. Shows like Battlestar Galactica and Fringe have much better ability to present a hook that draws you in from the get go. Each episode serves as lead in to the next. I don't think that method of storytelling is a bad thing. As an "art", television has evolved by leaps and bounds. Because television writers are better storytellers, we are able to have Sci-Fi shows that are more accessible and reach a wider audience.

Does that mean TNG has nothing to give in the new era of television? Besides being a loaded question, it is the purpose of this blog. My brother, who is fifteen years younger than me, recently told me that he was watching TNG on Netflix (PSA the whole series is on there). It made me think about how he must see the show. He and I share a lot of interests, but he has grown up in a world where he will probably never own a CD, where no one will own a "home" phone, and where TV is smarter than it's ever been (Honey Boo Boo not withstanding).

How would I guide my brother (or my friend) to help him see TNG as I know it? It has been a number of years since I watched the show front to back, so I decided that I would re-watch it. After watching couple a episodes, I was shocked to discover that I liked the beginning much more than I remember. As a result, I decided that I would record my thoughts here. Hopefully it will serve as a guide of the episodes to watch and the ones to avoid.

I may put some other editorial content in from time to time, but main goal is to put a post for each episode. I would also like to tag them in various ways ("Continuity", "Iconic", etc) to help people see a list of interesting episodes at a glance. I will also label each one with a three point scale: Recommended, Extra Credit, or Skip. If I'm lucky, I will also give some interesting context/commentary as well. The main goal is to give a easy guide of episodes to watch for those who have never seen TNG. If you have seen the show and would like to add your own commentary about the episode, please do so in the comments.

Welcome to my blog, and I hope you enjoy as I explore The Next Generation for the next generation (give or take 5 years).