Star Trek Bridge Designs Ranked Worst to Best

[@RowanJColeman]

MY OTHER CHANNELS Entertainment Channel: kzbin.info/door/uRTWD6C2lqy-y-0HMwRoNQ Gaming Channel: kzbin.info/door/4AQjWVhQBOoHlOrKn_SJqA

[@supremeleaderstarscream7898]

Not a bridge and not trek, but my favourite command deck is Galactica CIC will always be my favourite

[@Foebane72]

Why do you keep covering Abrams and Kurtzman Trek, Rowan? Everyone knows that they SUCK.

[@jolan_tru]

@@Foebane72 Why do you keep dumping on Abrams and Kurtzman Trek? Everyone knows it's GREAT!

[@Foebane72]

@@jolan_tru It's trying to be Star Wars, and rips off scenes from many movies, too. There's nothing original about it. I suggest you check out Major Grin's videos on the subject, he shows countless examples and clips.

[@jolan_tru]

@@Foebane72 Out of curiosity, do you think watching a video about NuTrek would somehow convince me that I've been mistaken all this time about liking it? Do you think people just like it by accident? Seriously, I'm curious what your end game is here

[@manlystranger4973]

The Enterprise D - the bridge replicates a mid-1980's living room with a TV bigger than any TV ever offered to a private household, basically a theatre inside a house, which was unheard of at the time, although integral to every McMansion built thereafter. When you look at the bridge with this perspective, it is actually very warm and cozy with a very familial feel, which is what Roddenberry wanted for the series.

[@Blechfuchs]

Exactly my thoughts. Add a couple of Bose 901 Series 5 in the same wooden finish as the tactical console and a transparent-cover Laserdisc player and you got the typical 80s cineast‘s/audiophile‘s living room.

[@chrisakers3941]

I liked the D bridge for the very reasons he hated it. I liked the open space, bright colors, ample lighting, and friendly aesthetic design. As Guinan put it, "The Enterprise is not a ship of war. It's a ship of peace."

[@chriswright6245]

I liked it and the colours were great

[@Boxkerp]

@@chrisakers3941 The D bridge is terrible. Absolutley terrible. It should have been what was in Generations.

[@drencrum]

Yeah, TNG was peak Roddenberry, he was all about optimistic American utopianism (which was important to him and the brand). 60's Trek was heavily based on Roddenberry's own experiences in the Navy and the culture of the 40's-60's of duty and service. Phase II (and what became of TMP) was based on the cultural enlightenment and environmental expanded consciousness of the late 60's through the 70's. A lot of art science fiction art and culturally appealing product design started coming out during that period that rejected the utilitarian nature of things in the 50's and the cold futurism of the 60's with a warmer more inviting pallet that spoke of a world where we weren't under constant threat. TNG is all of that, the ship itself is a luxury cruise liner whose saucer separates so families could live with the crew and not be involved in combat and its captain is a diplomat with half the crew on the bridge being there just to advise him. Every time Roddenberry is removed from production the show got very dark and all about war, that is appealing in some circumstances but I think viewers are tired of it hence the nostalgia for TNG now.

[@woofdogmeow2159]

As a navy veteran I can tell you light on the bridge is the enemy. We like the bridge or the C.I.C. or combat,Information,center to be dark so that the only thing your eyes lock onto is the gauges and computer screens. This will always be the case even on a star ship. My personal favorite was the Enterprise-A bridge and even that one is too bright.

[@dragonstryk7280]

And I swear the Discovery designers are legit TRYING to get the crew to kill them. They big ass lights are set PERFECTLY to make glaring reflections on the helm screens. Can you imagine trying to drive that thing like that?

[@woofdogmeow2159]

@@dragonstryk7280 I can imagine trying to find a firing solution on a screen with loads of spots on it caused by the lights.

[@wintra8848]

You're gonna like Star Trek Picard S3, there's almost no light at all

[@JohnWilliams-ps2uk]

That explains why it was dark on the Titan A's bridge on Star Trek Picard.

[@mamba101]

Daylight coloured light should be behind the screens to minimise eye fatigue - interesting to hear that’s not a thing?

[@anticarrrot]

Star Trek constantly shows people being thrown to the floor. "Why is the ground covered in soft material? I don't get it! It makes no sense!" While metal looks more military, in a situation where you might 'fall' in any direction due to explosions or collisions, soft and padded would be the order of the day.

[@jasonaich8071]

anticarrrot - Great point about the carpet/padding! However, these are the same designers that apparently built the computer consoles to explode and blast rocks in every direction whenever the ship is fired upon... 🪨💥😂

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

Fitting seatbelts would also be a sensible idea.

[@willmfrank]

The carpeting makes perfect sense from a production standpoint, however. Actors thumping about on a hollow plywood platform plays havoc with the sound recording.

[@Mopantsu]

@@jasonaich8071 why is there always steam shooting out everywhere in space ships during conflicts? :D

[@dragonstryk7280]

It's also important to note that Starfleet isn't technically a military organization. The Enterprise-D specifically was made as a science/diplomatic vessel. The ones I wanna keep haul in space are the LENS FLARE bridge designs that also put in tiny steps for no tactical reason. Seriously, as a navy vet, Id be trying to hunt those fuckers down for that shit. At least the D had a low slope, which is WAY safer.

[@junker-f3m]

Honestly, I really love the comfy, 24th century aesthetic for Trek, because I came into Trek immediately after finishing season 3 of The Expanse, and it really helped me adjust my headspace from hard sci-fi to soft by communicating that these are humans who are so advanced and comfortable in space that the command center of their flagship would have a comfy rug, and nice wooden decor.

[@marcst3199]

Haha, My Personal top is TNG Enterprise, it reminds me on luxury cars of the 90's

[@ironoob]

Especially that tan color

[@fredashay]

Yes!!! TNG Enterprise D was the best Enterprise!

[@Bellabong]

Well that was literally their intent lol Roddenberry wanted the brige to evoke a relaxed luxury cruiser feel - look at how the seats make you sit.

[@McMahonHater]

The original is the best, and it's the best because the Captain's chair was absolutely awesome.

[@twiff3rino28]

1986-87 really.

[@elbrones]

I completely disagree with your rankings but I'll say this much they're original. Never seen anything like it

[@rbarger71]

I know, right....

[@diracflux]

Enterprise-D bridge was the best by far. No dangerous steps to trip over, smooth transitions between functional zones, soft walls and carpeted floors so that Worf doesn’t hurt himself, and an aesthetic that evokes a super yacht.

[@jayreed9370]

This is a good point, I imagine actors falling down the stairs constantly with some of the other bridges.

[@DJ_Sonic09]

I'm not a fan personally, it just doesn't look like a spaceship to me

[@m_tpa]

@@DJ_Sonic09 it isnt, its a decadent space cruise liner, for a bunch of entitled professionals. and i wouldnt have it any other way.

[@chrisakers3941]

Ya you have to take the D bridge into context. The Federation was not at war, and its flagship was built for diversity. The Federation has battleships. The Enterprise was built for logistics, diplomacy, and research. The peaceful flagship was fitted with the best shields, phasers, and torpedoes to deal with a situation that might fall upon the crew. And since there's a need for drama in episodes, bad situations fell upon them often.

[@k1productions87]

@@m_tpa Cruise liner or not, entitled or not, comfortable or not,... it still has to CONTROL the SHIP. There is not nearly enough on this set to portray that the ship is fully operated from here, much less that the command crew is able to adequately monitor its functions in any logical or efficient way. And speaking of cruise liners... have you SEEN the bridge of a cruise liner? It hardly invokes anything remotely near the level of space and decadent comfort as the rest of the ship. Its cramped, its busy, its got displays and controls all over the place, AND it is very dimly lit when needed so the displays are more visually prominent for the crew who's job it is to keep everyone on board safe. By all means, make the lounges, the hallways, the quarters, the recreation rooms, even the shuttlebays look large and posh and warm and inviting. That's where the people are, and where they are meant to be always comfortable and happy. But operational spaces, like the Bridge and Engineering, should first and foremost be about serving their function in the most efficient way possible. Engineering maintains this, to a large degree,... but the Enterprise-D bridge DOES NOT.

[@jay-zdenton6094]

Enterprise-D (TNG) has the comfiest interior design so it gets my pick. I know, "not fit for a warrior" but idc.

[@rutgerb]

Me too, I like the use of wood on a spaceship

[@johnbockelie3899]

The Enterprise D, the luxury starship.

[@johnbockelie3899]

The J.J.prise bridge looks like an arcade game room.

[@Zack_Wester]

yep looking at the Discovery bridge, Voyager bridge and the Discovery bridge and Im getting fattige just by looking at them. but not from the TNG one. and my bellow is yes the color pallets is dull but note there is no dark colors or white (there is light colors cream blue, and other maybe bland but more correct neutral colors). something I sort of expect to see on a civilian bridge. somewhere I expect peaple to work at for hours whit out getting eye fatigue.

[@SeanPFoster]

I live a couple of blocks away from where they shoot Star Trek: Discovery, and my buddy who works on the show was able to get me a tour of the set during the filming of season 2 a couple of years ago. The Enterprise bridge was very cool to see in person, it felt like walking through a time portal into the 23rd century.

[@mem1701movies]

I don’t like the design

[@richNfit4life]

Very cool! I’d love to walk on the bridge and down the corridors along with engineering, sickbay, the transporter room and the shuttle bay. Well, all of it really. It must have been quite exciting to walk around seeing it all. How awesome for you.

[@purefoldnz3070]

On the Abrams Enterprise you would go blind from all the lens flares everywhere.

[@talideon]

Largely agree, though I think the main reason the Enterprise D might score so low is actually down to it being very beige. It certainly fits the period, mind, given the D was basically a town in space rather than a pure starship. It's a bit of a missed opportunity not to include the redress for "Yesterday's Enterprise" in this. It gave the D's bridge a dramatically different feel, more akin to that of Voyager purely though the use of lighting a few minor tweaks to the decor.

[@cantdestroyher7245]

Hey it’s pretty nice for a Marriott convention room

[@SumDumGy]

He praised the refit bridge which is more beige than the D bridge, so how that rationale works escapes me. His overall complaints were about how bland the lower rankings were but when he starts getting excited, he chose the blandest of them all to praise.

[@L1z43vr]

@@SumDumGy First of all, I believe one of the main reasons he ranked it lower is functionality in general. On the Refit bridge, the Captain can see all consoles from his chair, but on the D bridge the Captain has to stand up to look at the consoles behind him, since he’s flanked both by his CO and Councilor.

[@SumDumGy]

@@L1z43vr First of all, don’t try to speak for other people. Second of all, he didn’t make that argument so you’re simply assuming something you have no reason to. Stay within your own mind where you’ll be familiar with the territory. Let others speak for themselves.

[@LionkingCMSL]

I don't know if it was mentioned, but Gene Roddenberry went to the Navy and asked them how they would design a bridge for a starship when he was creating the TOS. They said, "This is how we would do it." so, the Enterprise:TOS's bridge was actually designed by the U.S. Navy, though maybe not the color scheme. That is why that bridge looks so authentic and works so well.

[@LoneBrowncoat]

Not True, the navy came to the Desilu studio first to see the season one bridge Source: "The Making of Star Trek" by Whitfield and Roddenberry, 1970-71.

[@doctor49152]

I'd imagine carpet keeps the sound echoing down for the audio mixers. You can hear this in the NX-01 bridge when anyone talks.

[@crosseightyeight]

5:20 just now realized that the guy in the front row would totally block the Captain's view. I like to imagine Avery Brooks pretending he isn't always staring into the back of Terry Farrell's head.

[@bbbabrock]

They do show that t captains chair is raised on t Defiant. I imagine it is supposed to be raised enuf that he can see over t head of t helmsman.

[@Valkires1]

I don't know what you're talking about... The flying Marriott convention center's Reception area as a bridge is a perfect complement to the ship.

[@johnbockelie3899]

Next up, best and most comfortable Captains chairs.

[@Andrew-vj2ep]

the voyager set was filmed well for bridge-entry sequences. shots of janeway from turbolift, rounding the rail with tuvok’s updates behind her as she sets the mood of the scene. subordinates detach along the way, blocking them out for later interjections. janeway crosses, provides orders to crew as paris sweeps by the view with an ‘aye aye’. quietly descending to the chair, legs casually crossed, janeway tilts her head, hand raised to jaw, discretely consulting with chakotay ok now this feels like fanfic. but still, laid out well for blocking and filming. just enough space.

[@kalebwick3429]

As someone who agrees that the Discovery-Enterprise bridge is the best, I like the Stange New Worlds redesign A LOT. It looks like TOS, but just…newer, and it retains that classic 60’s feel but with a modern twist. The production design on that show as a whole is just gorgeous. Lots of reds and oranges to pop out against the white walls and glass, with nice warm lighting. It’s perfect.

[@generaljoust829]

One design element stands out to me. On Jonathan Archer’s Enterprise bridge, his chair is set back far enuf so that(if I remember correctly) no station is out of his LOS. It would fall on the captain to decide what station goes where, so if some stations HAVE to go behind you, then the choice is up to the captain

[@stile8686]

What about the Deep Space Nine Command Centre? Yes it wasn't designed by the Federation and it isn't a "bridge" on a starship, but it fills exactly the same role in the series - both in terms of in-universe and in terms of the TV shooting. I understand why you didn't include it but it would be interesting to see how you rank it in comparison to the other bridges.

[@danielduggan5405]

Yeah, I was wondering why ops was left off, as well. It's technically the 'Hero Bridge' of DS9.

[@GlorfindelofGondolin]

My favorite will always be the Wrath of Khan Enterprise bridge with its sound effects. Love the low tone active sonar sound in the background.

[@trekkiedave7910]

Can’t agree more! It’s my favourite to - Nicholas Meyer changed it just enough to make it distinct and its own thing Darker than TMP bridge and fit Wrath perfectly - the initial confrontation between the Enterprise and Reliant is still my favourite scene in cinematic history almost 40 years later Meyer’s a genius

[@joejupiter4138]

Something that really bothers me about the SNW Enterprise bridge is all the light strips. There are light strips on the consoles, around the doors, around the captain's chair and even on the bloody rails. Light strips everywhere! It's like the bridge was designed by the Tron crew. "Greetings, programmes. Welcome aboard USS Tronterprise."

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

I think my favourite is the Enterprise NX-01. To my eye it's the only one that really captures the military aesthetic.

[@rhuman8672]

I think the defiant did a pretty good job also - there was a great sense of urgency during battles as they were so close together and I think it added to the dramatic effect. Much like nx 01

[@chrissonofpear1384]

@@rhuman8672 Majorly underrated, the Defiant bridge.

[@valleyforgeproductions]

@@rhuman8672 the carpet ruined that aesthetic I think

[@rhuman8672]

@@valleyforgeproductions the carpet does seem to bother people but I’m not fussed myself. It’s better than hitting a metal floor when the ship is fired on.

[@jolan_tru]

Let's see how you're gonna somehow make THIS list controversial! It's not your fault, Rowan. To Trekkies, literally everything is a controversy.

[@sarahscott5305]

Anything that features Star Trek after 2005 will get some hate.

[@TornadoHound]

I agree. No one hates Star Trek more than Star Trek fans. We're a weird fanbase.

[@KJsProjects]

No it's not (lol)

[@chesslover8491]

Trek”ers”

[@chesslover8491]

;)

[@agent_meister477]

16:03 Number One divert power from bridge lighting to foreward shields 😋

[@timtonruben359]

Trivia: The Enterprise NX-0 bridge is actually the same set as the USS Defiant bridge from DS9. After DS9 ended, the Defiant bridge and corridors were not demolished, but redressed several times for use on Voyager (most notably in "Live Fast and Prosper" and "Nightingale"), and then more heavily modified for Enterprise but if you look at a picture of both bridges side by side, it's pretty obvious.

[@kaitlyn__L]

I thought Nightingale used the Defiant bridge too but recently realised it’s the BoP. But the ready room Harry uses is from the Defiant. Of course Enterprise put the BoP set back almost how it was for 22nd century Klingons, just putting LCD screens behind the cutouts instead of plexis.

[@mitchellwooldridge5118]

I know it's not a starship bridge but I would've liked to hear your thoughts on DS9's Ops (since you covered every other bridge from the series and films).

[@R0ssMM]

Yeah, before he got to the top picks I wasn't sure if it was missing or would be winning! I like the conference table in the centre of Ops, and the consoles around it. It really focuses the action

[@mitchellwooldridge5118]

@@R0ssMM i always liked the fact that it had its own transporter pad... plus the maintenanca pit on the side that Miles was always working in... even the replicators are worth mentioning (I don't remember any of the bridges having any).

[@theshadowdirector]

I assume uniforms ate next? The TMP 'pyjamas' get my vote for last place.

[@schwarzerritter5724]

The worst bridge is the Enterprise's bridge in the reboot movies. At least the other bridges don't constantly shine bright lights into your eyes.

[@MetalheadAndNerd]

Yes! The whole style of the new trek is anything but a place to work all day. Dark rooms with even darker corners, glaring spotlights, sharp edges. Unthinkable.

[@schwarzerritter5724]

On the plus side, Discovery has a roller coaster.

[@winwinmilieudefensie7757]

I always figured tng enterprise was so confident in its abilities and its purpose they could afford to be comfy a d have families on board ... its just like being so rich in the 80s90s that you cover every surface in suede and carpet ... its just the ultimate powermove ....confident comfy ... its like grandmas living room with a bigscreeen tv

[@pauls4522]

Yup time and time again enterprise d has been Said to be a luxury cruise liner. Also important to note its design was a product of its time. People were more "confident and optimistic" during this era.

[@ammosophobia]

I adore the bridge of the Enterprise A in Undiscovered Country. Adding 24 hour clocks is exactly what a command center needs. It's a subtle but great addition.

[@michaelmitchell4989]

I think that you should have included Ops from DS9 in there somewhere. 🤔

[@jeremy1860]

I know it's weird to say, but the bridge of the original TOS Enterprise is my personal favourite largely because it's smaller. I dunno, it just made it feel like everyone one there was closer, if only in a literal sense 😅

[@hastekulvaati9681]

Never bettered. There is a reason why it has been recreated dozens of times.

[@solracer66]

I've spent maybe an hour and a half on the original Star Trek bridge at the Set Tour and I think it's just about a perfect design. The view from the captain's chair puts everything you need to see at the perfect height and the chair itself is so comfortable and swivels seamlessly. With working viewscreens it feels like a real place that could fly amongst the stars and not an old supermarket in a small town in upstate New York hours from the nearest large city. I could visit every day and not get tired of the experience!

[@redshirt5126]

1:58 Me: "In my culture I would be well within my rights to dismember you."

[@Tranefine]

Indeed!

[@richardvinsen2385]

The Enterprise D looks like the bar of a 1990s Marriott.

[@SchardtCinematic]

Kelvin timeline bridge is too busy. To much at once to take in. Kelvin timeline has an issue with mot to many beauty shots. One of the only beauty shots is when they first are flying to the finished Enterprise in spscedock with the older ships. She stands out nicely. But even then it's not like the beautiful beauty of the shots seen in The motion picture where it's not just Scotty taking Kirk slowly around the ship to show her off. They ate also slowly precisely the whole redesigned Enterprise for the fans as well.

[@tubewatanabe]

As someone who worked in retail for too many years, I clocked those barcode scanners immediately in the IMAX and they continue to piss the fuck outta me every time I watch '09.

[@Jolar70]

I actually really like the Motion Picture bridge because it fits the film perfectly. They actually tinkered with it for The Wrath of Khan; moving command station modules around and adding more sci-fi dressing to the set. I think they also re-painted the neutral gray set to a disgusting 80's / mauve gray color!

[@striker8961]

One thing we must consider about the openness with the D is it gives great breathing room for interactions such as with Q or episodes with many extra characters needed on the bridge like the Cardassians first appearance, you couldn’t squeeze that many actors into the TOS enterprise without cramping them and having them stationery basically and the rails separate the people behind from the centre sorts quasi removing them from the actions of the scene. Now you could argue it had too much space and I wouldn’t fight that honestly it is much more empty and has far less people besides the main cast working in there and those that are just face the wall in the background with 4 computer modules compared to the surround sound fully utilised space of the original, also despite being the D being brighter the original had more vibrances and colour and life to it, the actors where actually using equipment instead of tapping on imaginary flat glass / plastic computer screens that we can’t even see .

[@thegrayshaws]

Where does DS9's Ops fit on your list?

[@OhChrumbs]

I love the D bridge personally. Partly because it feels very of it's time, but partly because it really feels like it was designed for comfort. Like this isn't an Enterprise built for combat, this Enterprise is built to be worked in day in, day out, for years as comfortably as possible. Of all the bridges, I imagine that's the one you wouldn't get tired of after a few years.

[@Starflight_Miniatures]

Man, I loved the galaxy class bridge, a bridge from a more civilised time... Plus plenty research saying standing desks are better for your back so the galaxy class was ahead of its time 😂 can't stand the sovereign class, what an absolute mess, its horrendous.

[@bosyber]

I look at all the odd edges in the floor steps on the Ent-E, I think there have to be quite a few bruised ankles, not to mention falling people when in hurry - complicated steps are not ergonomic, 'interesting' though they might look. No.1/TOS as well as VOY got that right (though VOY felt grey and bit boring AND at the same time overly busy after TNG)

[@captaingenius-o1c]

I have the OPPOSITE tastes of this guy....The Discovery bridge reminds me when I turn on the garage light and start looking for that one tool, type of feel.......

[@STho205]

Yep that nails it. All of the bridges are extremely unlike military ship bridges, but with big sweeping wasted space and the officers stations are too far from the CNC... However Discovery and the JJ sets mostly look like a garage with old appliances stacked haphazardly around and it always looks like a box of rocks is about to slide off a shelf onto your head.

[@asraarradon4115]

NX-01 Enterprise was what I thought of immediately as my favorite.

[@Gomezli16]

Uniforms pop against the neutral colors in the ent d and tng era ship interiors

[@saquist]

Says the colorblind man

[@progKansas]

I like the 1701-A bridge in" The Undiscovered country".

[@KarbinCry]

Wonder where you'd put bridges from other sci-fi - like CIC from BSG, or the helm from B5.

[@jimmyryan5880]

The earth ships from stargate are perfect

[@KarbinCry]

@@jimmyryan5880 great shout, Stargate should also be in the discussion. Personally I still prefer the Galactica CIC though... especially since its physical placement makes sense unlike almost any other command centre.

[@guspaz]

I love B5, but often the sets really reflected the "shot in a hot tub factory on a shoestring budget" production limitations, and the B5 C&C was one of the worst offenders in that regard. It feels like flat painted plywood even more than the 60s Enterprise did. They at least did a good job earlier on in maintaining that design aesthetic on the bridges of EarthForce ships, though that's probably because they were just redressed of the B5 C&C itself. They did improve on that quite a lot by season 4, though, where the Agamemnon's bridge, while still sharing the same aesthetic, managed to add enough additional detail to look hugely improved. A bit of dimensionality to the walls, the vertical glass things (which of course break during combat), the circular rails, the ship's crest, etc.

[@KarbinCry]

@@guspaz I wouldn't be that harsh, but I agree that B5's command is not great. Really I just wanted to hear thoughts on Galactica's CIC since that's my favourite, and needed something else to hide my actual intent :D

[@KerstinMamma]

This should be called "hating and ranking carpets"

[@nebularain3338]

Enterprise -D bridge all the way for me. Sleek, cosy, pristine, and it just has a nice feel to it.

[@pepperVenge]

You and I are on completely opposite opinions here. First, The whole point behind the design of the Enterprise D bridge was relaxation. Thats why it looks so cozy and like a hotel lobby. Roddenberry believed that work should be relaxing and take place in a relaxing environment, and he was right; Countless studies have shown that worker productivity is always at its best when the workers are relaxed. Basically, it seems you prefer a more Military look to Star Trek, and that's your choice of Course, but that isn't Star Trek, isn't Roddenberry's vision, and Starfleet is not a Military.

[@sarahscott5305]

Hi! I really like the Defiant bridge. I know it's this super-slick fighty-shooty corvette type buttkicker, but I think it's bridge is so darn cozy! I'd serve on the Defiant (or Sao Paulo, or Valiant) but only so I could have sneaky naps cuddled up on one of those big chairs!

[@adamsagehorn3520]

I can see Rowans aesthetic preference is for lights, color, and tech heavy. Makes sense for sci fi. I love TNGs set bc it is so functional. Every station has a use its not just there to look tech. And its meant to look like a hotel lobby where its comfortable and you can lounge and not get an aneurism. Thats part of why we all wanted to go there. Also you need a conference table seperate so you dont distract the bridge crew and can meet with other planets leaders in a relaxed setting. Cant discuss peace plans with Cardassians on the bridge! Thats insane! They will do something sneaky.

[@cha02psc]

Is the La Serena a bridge anyway? The ship was like a larger runabout, so I thought it was a cockpit. Since it had a massive window and all.

[@ukmediawarrior]

It's weird isn't it. I mean its less a bridge and more simply the front of a large hangar with lots of other rooms branching off it, lol.

[@cha02psc]

@@ukmediawarrior yeh it was an odd one. I mean, it was essentially a freighter shuttle I guess - but even Dukat’s cargo ship had a legitimate bridge with a proper viewscreen (I don’t do bridge windows...!)

[@ukmediawarrior]

@@cha02psc A bridge window is just asking for trouble, LOL.

[@cha02psc]

@@ukmediawarrior don’t even get me started 😂

[@kanedafx]

Crazy. The Enterprise D bridge is the only memorable one in the whole set (besides TOS). It's iconic. And it got last!

[@TheJovian16]

Rowan: *Ranks the TMP bridge over the Enterprise-E bridge.* Me: *angry fan noises* Just kidding, don't really have a strong opinions on any of the starship bridges.

[@kanaric]

TMP bridge, set designs, and ship designs were way better

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

Soft areas work when being thrown about. Being an elevated captain sest allows you to be seen from the screen aboard the Defiant.

[@ProperLogicalDebate]

I'm curious. Depending on what's missing and to what degree, what does the Spectrum look like to someone who is colorblind? Is there a black patch in the center or the ends are truncated/shortened?

[@MisterWileyOne]

ST 6 bridge. Pinnacle of Zimmerman/Okuda design

[@PetersonZF]

@jdslyman Those digital clocks created a LOT of continuity errors, though. ;)

[@TheAfterglowProject]

I agree on how the kelvin timeline bridge looks great. But could you imagine having a hangover or a migraine on that damn thing? And even whilst completely healthy it would be hard to see the view screen. Voyager’s lighting is far more practical.

[@jayt4697]

"I'm colour blind" pretty much sums up this entire list.

[@saquist]

Agreed.

[@SmartDave60]

JJ Abrams bridge looked like a mall to me

[@RichO1701e]

Rowan; "nothing about the E bridge stands out as memorable to me" Manual steering column; am I a joke to you!?? 😂

[@Zreen001]

ah but the steering column was also forgettable lol

[@chrissonofpear1384]

@jdslyman About time.

[@RichO1701e]

@jdslyman, that also ended up on the nx-01

[@captaingenius-o1c]

Was that an homage to the Atari 2600 joystick steering column? and if that sterring column comes up without a person paying attention, will it go up their azz? Might have made for a better movie....

[@RichO1701e]

@jdslyman I'm sure it was their last season, 4, when the bridge got some minor visual upgrades and they happened to have the Enterprise E chair after Nemesis bombed.

[@jeeshadow1]

Regarding the Discoprise Bridge "are they orange or red" don't worry, Emperor Georgiou couldn't figure it out either!

[@willmfrank]

To be fair, though, I suspect that her lines were a dig at the somewhat variable picture quality of the original series film prints.

[@ryougahibiki941]

Where's HMS Bounty. That's my favorite Star Trek bridge. Don't claim it doesn't count, it's the bridge for the main cast for at least one entire film.

[@dhpbear2]

A nit-pick RE: 'Enterprise D' bridge: What's the deal with that off-center 'seam' behind the Captain's chair? (3:56)

[@bgy110107]

in the Defiant's bridge, it looks like theres a table behind the captain? is that a conference table or some sort of workbench? And i think something else to note is that in the TOS there is that center screen/console between the 2 helm controls that the captain can look at

[@bosyber]

Tactical room - like they have for the NX--01 (as someone mentions, it's actually the same set reused there!) makes sense for a warship, which is also why the Yesterday's Ent-D had that panel there, similar idea I think, though not as well done maybe.

[@Vanessinha91Pucca]

I love the Enterprise-D bridge. It's comfortable, well lit and has the perfect stations (tactic, ops and helm). I also like the colors and carpet..

[@robertdullnig3625]

I always thought the "Red Alert" Voyager bridge was too dark, like they would trip over something.

[@valleyforgeproductions]

Yeah we wouldn’t want them tripping over special effects rocks would we

[@josephraffurty9293]

I wonder if the carpet in next gen shows was used to dampen the sound of their shoes on wood floors. It would save having to do additional takes or ADR cause you hear the sound walking on wood. Would be curious to know if that was a production choice or not.

[@JoeWalker98]

My favourite was the one in the enterprise series. Something about it not being all flash, the cosyness, the muted tones. It felt exactly what that ship was meant to be, that starting out of a new venture, somewhere between multicrew aircraft and submarines just in space. I loved how small the whole ship felt.

[@jesper2912]

Was surprised the bridge of deep space nine didn’t make an appearance

[@ShauriCheshire]

Definitely a nice space - I personally love it - but as it's the operations centre for a space station, rather than the bridge for a starship, I can see why it would be left out. That said, I was a bit curious too if it would be in the list.

[@Francois424]

Hard to tell, but my favorite bridge is the Enterprise from Wrath-of-Khan. In my fan fiction, my imaginary bridge is very strongly inspired from that one. Complete with 90% authentic red uniforms. But the bridge itself felt just large enough not to feel cramped all the time (Defiant) or overly large (TNG/Kelvin/Disco-era). I would simply put the "Fabric" of the TNG bridge over that one, giving it an hybrid look between TNG and WoK. The computers/displays would get a slight overhaul, but remain the same sizes, again, just right. I find it funny that you love the Discovery and Enterprise bridges. I mean from Enterprise onwards, it's all dull greys and blues in a dark setting most of the time. The Disco-Enterprise gets on my nerves with those red lines in the middle of the furniture, was not a fan of how the interior looked as well, ToS interiors are absolutely fabulous (Quarters, corridors, teleporter, etc). Kelvin went overboard with lights, but kinda fixed it some in the second movie. I'd say : WoK > ToS = TNG as my top three. Note that I loved the Shenzhou's bridge from the pilot 2 parter more than anything else barring my top 3. Thanks for the vid.

[@misterpwood]

You mention carpets on the bridge a lot like it's weird, but, I used to be on a Royal Navy warship, the bridge was carpeted.

[@RowanJColeman]

Seriously? That is surprising. I've been on the HMS Belfast and didn't see any carpet and have never seen a carpeted naval ship before.

[@misterpwood]

@@RowanJColeman That's because the Belfast is ancient. Lol. I was on a T42, and carpeted areas were the bridge, most corridors around officers' quarters in the upper decks, and all the dining halls and crew messes below.

[@jimmyryan5880]

Look at the TNG bridge from the screen POV. Its like a music stage. You can see everyone (worf is the drummer on risers). Now look at voyager. Torez is off screen, paris is blocking janeway and chikotay and kim and tuvok are half off screen. Also there is a weird fence between everyone and tuvok and kim are in weird puppet boxes.

[@gregcampwriter]

I do like the image of Tuvok and Kim as Statler and Waldorf from The Muppet Show.

[@KJsProjects]

Plus I don't think the captain's and first officer chairs should be next to each other. I think they did that to follow the idea that Voyager was a blended crew. I would have had three chairs like TNG, but I am a fan of semetry.

[@LasherTimora]

The first part of your critique (or however you wanna call it) sounds like you cherry picked a very specific situation and pointed out some issues for the sake of pointing them out. Change the angle and most of the issues are gone. I'll sort of give you that the engineering console is by itself, off to the side, but at least they make use of the space, other bridges have nothing going on to the sides. The purpose of the "fence", I assume, is so you don't trip (in as many places) over the raised bit. I can see how it might look weird, though it never bothered me. I'll give you this as long as we can agree that it's a minor issue at best. I don't see what's so weird about the consoles at the back.

[@kaitlyn__L]

It doesn’t have a good “long view, see everyone” aspect but it has lots of interesting sight lines (Tuvok and Harry behind Janeway depending on which side they shoot her from, walking past those two when going from the ready room to conference room, etc). While the Ent-d is better for showing everyone all at once but only really has good angles for one character at a time (hence Riker going and leaning over a console so much)

[@alfredvalrie5541]

14:53 this is my favorite bridge but what about the Enterprise A bridge at the end of Star Trek IV?

[@kaitlyn__L]

An interesting aspect about the colour scheme of the Abrams bridge and the TMP one is originally the TMP sets were painted much like the Abrams film, for Phase II. (Very much like the Enterprise we’re briefly shown at the end of IV.) And they still had colourful uniforms. If somehow both Phase II and 2009 had come out, I suspect people would have called it an homage instead of too weird and different from the red and black. And I think that TMP bridge set looked way way better in the photo of its Phase II paint job vs the cream and grey it was painted in TMP. I’ve always assumed that decision was by the studio thinking cinema was too serious for all the colours? Because obviously the people building it wanted it to be more vibrant originally. Anyway.

[@marshallhuffer4713]

How would you rank the bridge of the USS Protostar from Star Trek: Prodigy?

[@steveleeart]

Discovery bridge sucks. It’s too big, I agree. Supposed to predate Enterprise. Not a fan of the window viewscreen.

[@jack1701e]

Honestly... yeah, that number one bridge is a damned good bridge! A modern take on an old classic.

[@ealan3694]

For some reason, the Discovery Bridge actually reminds me a lot of the Andromeda Ascendant's Command Deck. The illusion of the floorplan size, high ceiling, bronze color and the two vertical structural elements with inlaid light paneling.

[@thezachmarsh]

Where would you place the Ops section on DS9 if you were to count it as a "bridge"?

[@MatthewBryce]

I think i agree with all of these and how you positioned them, and YES the new enterprise bridge from Disco is Perfect IMO!

[@d.b.4671]

How does anyone on the Disco-prise get any work done with all those reflections glaring in their eyes?

[@sbvera13]

Carpet is important on sets because it keeps footsteps from dominating the sound pickups :P Who knew that 24th century starship designers had the same design constraints?

[@neilhorsley343]

So just how do those lcars controls work, we have lcars then key,secondary and sub systems with diagnostics and software intelligence. What am I missing

[@detectivesquirrel2621]

Excellent point about the Defiant, especially the carpeting. It's supposed to be a stripped back fighting ship. The Enterprise from the Motion Picture looks like a council flat, everything is painted magnolia, then everyone is in their pyjamas. I cannot disagree with you on any point. Maybe worth considering a video on Babylon 5 command centres.

[@Sam_T2000]

I’m super interested in a “modern” take on the Enterprise-D bridge, with the cozy lighting and carpeting, and the circular mantle thing surrounding the command chairs.

[@phoenix1985]

My top 2 favorite bridges are the D-refit as seen in Generations and Voyager's. This is why. Both create a logical flow, both have three different levels, both have multiple access points, and both allow each area to be unique, well defined, and well lit.

[@Texicus_Reddicus]

I actually love the d-class. In season 1, it was very empty.. and yes in 2021 the carpet seems tacky. But I love the way it feels cozy, like somewhere between a lounge and a bridge. and Also, you should note that when tng aired, luxury cars looked exactly like that.

[@MrDalevich]

I agree with the TNG bridge, far too open. It looks like a call centre. As for the carpet thing, it's probably because the noise they'd make, clumping around. It would be annoying both from a habitability standpoint but also filming. Submarines are carpeted throughout the most part inkeeping with the naval aspect to Starfleet. Admittedly noise detection isn't exactly a concern in space but some designs carry over.

[@jasondavis1615]

No mention of DS9's Ops?

[@jimmyryan5880]

Ds9s command center is quarks

[@michaelanagnostakis63]

My favorite bridge is truly the best bridge and under appreciated: the bridge of the E-A of Star Trek 6. It was large, color was on point, functional with tactile interfaces, militaristic, clean, and naval.

[@lionellasbach9764]

How would you rate the OPS of DS9? Maybe also compared to B5?

[@GothicLightingQueen]

Hi Rowan, I came across a late 90s sci fi serie "-based on ideas developed by Gene Roddenberry" Do you know about it or mabye you could do a showcase about it. It's called: Earth final conflict. It seems like a perfect candidate for a "A hidden sci fi gem" episode

[@RowanJColeman]

I have gotten an absurd amount of requests to do a video on that show. I haven't seen it, but it's on the list.

[@ukmediawarrior]

@@RowanJColeman First season was definitely the best, after that it got a little silly, but would also love your views on it :)

[@CaptainPikeachu]

lol I see you left out La Sirena because it would be the one true superior ship bridge design bc of its guardrails and seatbelts and ability to understand OSHA guidelines ;)

[@louisbrantmeyer8786]

Dude, I know it's not technically a bridge, but what about DS9's OPS?!?! It's incredible.

[@owenwildish331]

Rowan J Coleman could you please do a Worst to Best ranking for the Doctor Who Console Rooms please :)

[@Mobysimo]

To date my personal favorite is the Voyager Bridge. But I also like Discovery's bridge. The layout and colors are nice, and I like the larger viewing capacity, which works for a scientific vessel And I agree a 100% with the Enterprise D bridge. To me it feels less like a bridge and more like a high tech hotel room. The weird reclining chairs for navigation is also just weird. Like, does Data really need a lazyboy?

[@StevenHouse1980]

The logical reasion for that new bridge Coridore is so thay can quickly replace one of the 9000 console's that just Died in sparks.

[@willmfrank]

It's kind of like a wraparound Jefferies tube that you can stand up in.