How I Fell in Love With Star Trek | A Next Generation Retrospective

[@Foxcade]

Since I've had a number of people reaching out to ask for an episode guide, this is the one I used. Its very handy because it gives a description, the stars of the episode, and a rating for how essential it is to watch. reddit.com/r/DaystromInstitute/w/algernonguide_tng? Also, here is the twitter link to the Barclay fancam twitter.com/SuperFoxcade/status/1682830331274207232?s=20

[@flexydex8754]

*star trek WAS a more contemplative affair

[@ThatOneGuy7550]

Jessie Gender has a great Explainer Guide on the series I recommend checking her content out for an in depth guide

[@blanyeeast2928]

Which episode is @34:23 from? Is that one of the guys from Cheers hitting Data?

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@blanyeeast2928 "Thine Own Self" in season 7. Data's on a bronze-age (maybe iron-age?) planet there. He played the town blacksmith.

[@UnknownUser-zp5ez]

Make video about your favorite games or at least Ride To Hell Retribution

[@nonyabusiness9682]

One of the most charming parts of tng is when you get brief looks at what they do in there free time. Goofy stuff like warf in a judo gi, and picard and the boys going to play a spot of tennis in the holo deck. Or data learning the arts. The idealised future version of this military ship also involves treating its crew well and giving them the free time they need to unwind explore there passions and bond with there crew mates. Its often Corney, but its always very cute

[@wonder_platypus8337]

It shouldn't be cute. It should be realistic. Unfortunately Fully Automated luxury space communism isn't a thing yet.

[@nonyabusiness9682]

@wonder_platypus8337 oh I agree I just mean seeing them all wear stupid outfits and pal around in the holo deck larping sherlock or spy thrillers is cute to me. Especially when data or picard do it.

[@wonder_platypus8337]

@@nonyabusiness9682 Absolutely. I'd say my favorite to see doing that is Worf just because we get relatively little of it. Data/Sherlock was perfect and him having a Cat is great. Picard really showed his personality beyond the uniform. I fall in love with the idea of France every time he's doing something related to it and that just shows how great an actor Patrick is.

[@powerbadpowerbad]

This also happens in the actual military also,do things/hobbies in your down time and you actually bond with people in your unit during work hours and field training.Or going on cruises if you're on a ship in the navy/coast guard.

[@wonder_platypus8337]

@@powerbadpowerbad or the Marines. They get taxied by ships occasionally too.

[@vinesauce]

Glad Star Trek hit you the same way it hit me. I too am the annoying star trek guy to my friends... Well, only on occasion. Great video btw

[@drgrounder]

Well we know you must love it a lot because your impressions of some of the characters are on point

[@kyramonnix1520]

yo!! notice me Vinny senpei 🥺

[@titania49]

oh hi Vin

[@blancarosario7377]

Awesome review of TNG. You summarized up why it is still my favorite ST show. Though I would like to see your reflections on ST Picard, specifically season 3. Thanks for the memories 😊.

[@devinreese1397]

Become a Romulan then---- Learn the Language. The way to go.

[@thecianinator]

The quote from the Barclay episode that really stuck with me was when Picard refused to transfer him to another ship, saying it wasn't responsible to make another person someone else's problem. Really sold me on how it's more noble to help people than abandon them.

[@kotzpenner]

It was also kind of cute and heartwarming for Geordi to try to connect with him, despite him very much disliking Barclay at first.

[@RexMason-Home]

My favourite quote from that episode is when Picard calls him Broccoli, you can feel Barclay's mood just drop as Picard realises what he does. Aggh! My heart just sinks

[@adrianvanleeuwen]

Barclay became a fan favorite recurring role. Great character writing and well acted!

[@MmmEOWs]

things illegals cant even begin to understand as they infest our countries

[@BlueSideUp77]

Beautifully written. "The trial never ends." -Q; is not about humanity's trial. It's about your personal trial against yourself, about your personal growth, which should never cease.

[@Iwantalloftheinformation]

A kindness and beautiful thing of the universe is that this happens no matter what.

[@Dext3rM0rg4n]

I loved when DS9 poked fun at the change of Klingon's look between TOS and TNG era. "We do not discuss it with outsiders." I wish they had just leave it at that, it was perfect. Anyway I had the worst day and coming home to an hour long TNG retrospective is just what I needed, thanks Foxcade.

[@personzorz]

I still think that the instant they went back in time, Michael Dorn should have no longer been in modern Klingon makeup and no one says a thing about it

[@julius-stark]

I personally liked how Enterprise worked the look of the TOS Klingons into the show's lore.

[@cptsteele91]

There was absolutely no better way they could've tackled it, just a shame they couldn't leave it alone and then had to explain it in detail...twice...

[@cptsteele91]

​@julius-stark it wasn't bad how Enterprise tackled it, but it's like the force in Star Wars, it worked as a magical, mysterious, abstract...well, force I suppose, once midichlorians were introduced (which were a fair enough explanation, don't get me wrong) it demystified the force pretty much immediately, cheapened it in a way, some things are just best left unexplained y'know

[@Belzediel]

Personally I'd have just had O'Brien look at the Klingons, then look at Worf's forehead, go to say something, think better of it, and close his mouth, but, if not that, yes, best left as a noodle.

[@danieltilson4053]

I have to say. Worf is the most unintentionally hilarious character on the show. The character tried to joke once, and hated it, but so many lines where he was 100% serious were also funny.

[@diccchocolate416]

Classic worf line "Die" Funny every time

[@rayvenkman2087]

“Good tea, nice house.”

[@wanabee]

I loved whun he told keiko to stop her labour

[@danieltilson4053]

@@wanabee "This is not a good time."

[@Vectorman377]

​​@@diccchocolate416"Oh very clever Worf, eat any good books lately?" My favorite dialogue of the entire series. 🤣

[@Callsign-Wildcard]

This is a very beautiful love letter to TNG. Thank you so much for making it. It was such a pleasure to watch and reflect on the series through.

[@SAPProd]

I remember Tasha Yar being killed off as a HUGE deal. Killing off a character credited in the title sequence? Inconceivable! And ironic that the episode finally gave her character a modicum of legit character development (Worf saying he wagered on her winning an upcoming martial arts tournament was a small but wonderful touch and it’s a shame the two of them didn’t have any other good moments together). Her reappearance in season 3’s Yesterday’s Enterprise was a wonderful surprise and made all of us wish for her to be back. Even having Crosby play a different character later was a welcome surprise that sadly didn’t play out as well as we hoped. Still, glad they got her into the finale and her face was the last one seen during the events of the past.

[@papabaer6069]

Denise Crosby was a horrible actress, and they didn't know how to write female characters for the first few seasons. Tasha had to go...

[@Mazvec]

I remember seeing it happen when it aired and we kept waiting for her to be brought back by episodes end…and it DIDNT HAPPEN 😅

[@justfitz08]

Worf ultimately made for a better security chief and character overall, and his promotion in TNG set up his role in DS9 quite well. Denise Crosby ironically ended up being a better Romulan officer than a Starfleet one.

[@SAPProd]

@@justfitz08 except for that one moment she monologues to Picard about her backstory. No self-respecting Romulan is just going to give away information like she does!

[@TAURON85]

@@SAPProd I was like 7 y old in the mid 90's when I watched TNG and realised just recently that Denise Crosby is singlehandedly responsible for my attraction to pixie girls! 😍

[@queenredspecial]

I watched it when I first moved to the USA and didn't know any English. It gave me such a sense of belonging and comforted me through some gnarly times.

[@SAPProd]

An hour long Star Trek essay from someone confessing that they are now a Trekkie? Yes please! I can listen to ANY discussion of TOS, (series and films), TNG (more series than films), DS9 (no film necessary), and just about any Trek conversation so long as it doesn’t dip into discussions of the current state of fandom (I prefer people enjoying what they like about Trek and leaving people alone, no matter where you fall, even if I disagree). Also, and I’m not even 10 minutes in but I have to drop this now: if you want the best of Star Trek without calling it Star Trek, then you owe it to yourself to see Galaxy Quest and The Orville. Galaxy Quest is a love letter to the franchise and the fandom that keeps it relevant and The Orville is arguably Seth Macfarlane’s best work and while it starts a bit rough, especially the humor, by the middle of season 2 it reaches the same philosophical and emotional heights it took TNG 3 seasons to accomplish. Cannot recommend them enough, especially if you love TNG.

[@CrazyxEnigma]

Galaxy Quest is an all time favorite of mine and with hindsight had a pretty phenomenal all star cast. Never get tired of rewatching it.

[@dr.juerdotitsgo5119]

There you go: I was never into "nerd culture" growing up, nor TV shows for that matter, but decided to give Star Trek a try after watching a series of TNG reviews by RedLetterMedia. Decided to watch the original movies instead, since I'm a movie guy. Loved most of them, but chose to stop there. 6 feature-lenghts was enough time spent. Then I made the mistake of watching a few TOS episodes just for curiosity, and came across one called "Balance of Terror". 3 TOS seasons and 7 TNG seasons later, I'm currently binge watching DS9. So yeah, this Star Trek thing is not too bad I guess.

[@joe9739]

The biggest tearjerkers for me was when that Admiral told the crew Lal wasnt going to make it.. Data saying goodbye to Dr. Soong( and in STP S3,L0RE😢) and when Ke'hlar died, she grabbed Alexander's hand and joined it to Worf's hand before dying.. Sad as f*ck

[@horatiohornblower3757]

The clip at 1:16 where Worf shoots the Klingon and Data protects Picard is so awesome. Data is a true bro.

[@itsamee3897]

Watching this made me realise that this is probably the only tv show that I know every single characters name including the minor ones. Endearing indeed.

[@oldylad]

So you pay special attention to the minors 🤨

[@mistermeow527]

Troi does have an arc but I fully agree its weakly developed to almost every other character major and reocurring. In that ep where she loses her Betazoid power to read intent and emotion she has the realization of "oh crap I only have one job on this damn ship" that even Galaxy Quest basically lampoons. Its relegated in a series of B-plots but she learns to become more of an officer than a resource of "I sense danger, captain"

[@mistermeow527]

Also great vid! Loved it.

[@Analog_Mind47]

I liked how Worf is portrayed when interacting with other Klingons. He acts as someone who has studied their culture intensely, but from a far, never interacting directly, being surprised by the nuances. However I occasionally dislike how he interacts with humans, as his backstory is being raised by Humans on Earth, but is routinely suprised by human customs & behavior, like he's never seen it before. I get him not exactly understanding human behavior, (his season1 line to Data "I never understood their humor") due to fact he has an alien mind, but he should be familiar with it, not constantly suprised/disgusted by it.

[@diccchocolate416]

My favourite bit about worf is that he's not really a cultural kilingon. He's like a pantomime of a klingon, it's a shame they never really delved into it.

[@adcon00]

I feel like Worf intentionally distances himself from his Earth upbringing to feel closer to his Klingon heritage.

[@Korgano]

I agree. They just handled the “alien outsider” thing strangely with things like him not understanding how to open a door with a latch or how to interact with a house cat. That said, he’s still my favorite character and I think that his quest for identity is a very relatable thing. You don’t have to be adopted from an alien race to question whether you fit into the culture around you and to wish to be with people who understand you. One of the things that I do like about Worf is that, slowly and subtly, the Enterprise and its crew become the place where he belongs.

[@AM-uo2kf]

I got into Star Trek, the Next Generation about three or four years ago, and by that time I was already a heavy read letter media viewer, and so I was extras excited when they talk about their favourite episodes in TNG

[@sopranophantomista]

I grew up on TNG. My parents really enjoyed the series, and they even made sure to record the episode on the Sunday I was born. 😂 So this is a welcome, nostalgic trip from you, Fox! ...still waiting on that Part 2 ReBoot retrospective, unless you only made one part to drive home the fact the original series ended on a cliffhanger.

[@Zzyzzyx]

Ooh, what was the episode the day you were born? Was it a good one?

[@andromidius]

Oh gosh, ReBoot was my childhood. Its so crude compared to modern CGI, but for the 90's it was visionary and unique.

[@etheric_dissonance]

i'm another one who grew up on TNG. my first word was apparently "computer" as a result of this. 😅 needless to say, some of those episodes evoke some crazy intense nostalgia... most especially "masks" (which is also my favorite episode... love that weird aesthetic blend the sets have going on in that one). anyway. this was my first foxcade video and it made me smile from beginning to end. new subscriber acquired ⭐

[@glasswhisperer]

"you can't negotiate with the Borg" *Janeway has entered the chat*

[@netcat22]

I've recently gotten into Star Trek thanks to my dad. He started watching TNG and DS9 on tv on some random paramount channel we'd previously never heard of. I noticed he was watching and started watching along with him, as it looked interesting and I've always wondered what the big deal about Star Trek was (I used to be a Star Wars fan as a kid, but my opinion on it has soured tremendously over the years). He mentioned he used to watch TOS as a kid, so I figured I'd stream TOS for him on tv. Now we're going through all of TOS together and it's bringing back so many memories for him, it's just great. Thanks to Star Trek, I'm having an opportunity to bond with my dad again, and I'm never gonna forget it. Star Trek truly is something special.

[@Mayo_Magician]

One of my favorite early things of TNG is Worf learning new words. The scene where he learns the word "poppycock" in one of the early Q episodes is pure comedy.

[@Griffsterometer]

I'm so mad it took youtube so long to show me this video, it's one of my favorite star trek video essays I've ever seen. Awesome job. Love to see the perspective of someone new to the franchise. I know it's unlikely, but if you ever want to make a TOS/DS9/SNW etc essay I would be here in an instant

[@marathoneternal]

Great to see a solid recap of what it feels like to get into the franchise nowadays. The camp is as fun and endearing as you’re willing to let it be, but the character writing is always going to be one of the strongest draws for the show as it goes on. Great review, man :)

[@ehandley1045]

The thing I love about Worf is even though he’s struggling to be this ideal Klingon he thinks he’s suppose to be he slowly learns that it’s also okay to like prune juice and both of those things can be okay

[@costelinha1867]

Barkley has to be the most wholesome character in this show. And honestly, his episodes are the biggest example of what Trek, and the Starfleet are all about.

[@kotzpenner]

He was very relatable, I always think if I would be transported into the TNG world, I’d probably be like Barclay lol.

[@jerbear7952]

I always skip those episodes. They feel shoe horned and unnecessary

[@shauntempley9757]

His episodes make no sense, until Voyager. There, these episodes with Barclay make total sense.@@jerbear7952

[@dr.juerdotitsgo5119]

Hollow Pursuits is the only truly great Barkley episode for me in TNG. He was a much more enjoyable character in Voyager.

[@ennayanne]

Dude creeped on his co workers making holographic versions of them...

[@Shamax0]

Thanks for a great retrospective, really motivates me to go back and rewatch tng, haven't seen in at least a decade

[@Foxcade]

Happy to hear that!

[@ANTIStraussian]

​@@FoxcadeOne thing that is annoying is in the later seasons the actors get more input on the show even directing episodes. And as it turns out their characters now love acting. Acting on the holodeck, acting in 10 forward, acting classes! What a coincidence!!!

[@ThatOneGuy7550]

I became pretty obsessed with Star Trek after watching Lower Decks, getting really into the series rn

[@arturodelarosa4394]

Shame. but SNW is not bad.

[@ThatOneGuy7550]

@@arturodelarosa4394 I still need to check our Strange New Worlds!

[@SupahTrunks7]

If you were to do another in-depth analysis of other TNG characters like you did with Worf i would ABSOLUTELY watch the hell out of it

[@morebaileyskim]

When I watched the first Barclay ep as a teenager and realized they were not, in fact, about to make fun of the weird guy but, in fact, make our heros look like assholes for ignoring the whole "infinite diversity in infinite combinations is good" thing was incredible. This was one of the best shows ever (eventually). I often say only TNG and The golden Girls stood the test of time as 80s TV shows lol

[@fastertrackcreative]

"something in particular about Worf that I find _fascinating_ " Spock approves of that word :)

[@cvzanikos1]

😂

[@otakubacklog]

I used to watch TNG with my mom when I was younger and haven’t really watched much besides some of the movies, but I always appreciated the episode “The Inner Light”. It’s just an excellent piece of television that I’d be down to watch at any time

[@pokes404]

Fox mentioned that one of the lessons of TNG is the cherish the time you have because all good things eventually come to an end. That episode is perhaps the best personification of that lesson: "Seize the time. Live now. Make now always the most precious time ... Now will never come again." I don't like to overplay the "Star Trek taught me about life" sentiment. It was an entertaining TV show for me the majority of the time and nothing more. However, that episode (and more specifically that moment) really is something that has always stuck with me. Anytime I find myself becoming too concerned/preoccupied with future plans ... I remind myself to not forget to enjoy the present.

[@SAPProd]

So I recently rewatched TNG, and I specifically chose to pay attention to the huge albatross that hung on the neck of the series during the early years: Wesley Crusher. It's no secret that this wunderkind was Gene Roddenberry's self-insert (his middle name being Wesley) and kids shoe-horned into "serious" adult sci-fi to be the unlikely savior of the day is hated by almost all viewers, especially the child audience being pandered to, but outside of a few "none of the adults will listen to me" moments (egregiously stated in the pilot episode), Wesley had the potential to not only be a great character, but could have been spun-off into a series that, to this date, has really never been properly showcased in Star Trek. The biggest blow to Wesley's character was in the 6th episode Where No One Has Gone Before, where a really creepy alien known as The Traveler takes a really creepy interest in Wesley, and reveals to Picard that not only is Wesley the key to humanity's future, but all this time, instead of keeping Wesley off the bridge, he should be permitted on the bridge, not out of any merit or performance but because he deserves it, and most people from that moment on turned off to Wesley, and I can see why. However, it's also here where Wesley actually begins what would have been the best arc of the show if it had been properly handled: Wesley preparing for the Academy. He's told to study under Riker, to learn about what it means to be a member of Starfleet, he takes exams and studies preparing him for Starfleet, and sometimes he fails. He has to take the test at least twice before he earns the uniform, he actually learns things you'll never learn in a book (in The Best of Both Worlds, he folds to Riker's bluff in a wonderful moment of humility) and in perhaps the BEST Wesley-centric episode that SHOULD have been the highlight of his time on the show (except Wil Wheaton had left by then, tired of all the undeserved ridicule directed his way from fans), The First Duty showed him failing hard but learning a valuable lesson about duty and taking responsibility. Really, Wesley being a Cadet should have been the first spin-off of Star Trek, and given how the sixth Star Trek film almost was a "Kirk & Spock at the Academy" flashback film, it's crazy they didn't at least try something like that, and far as I know, have yet to revisit it outside of half the 2009 Star Trek film. Unfortunately, the last Wesley-centric TNG episode undid all that great character development by having Wesley washing out, implying that he really doesn't want to be Starfleet anymore (likely due to the fallout of The First Duty) and ends up with some ridiculous mystical BS about his dead father figuring he has a different path and The Traveler showing up to take him away. It's absolutely atrocious and the worst end for what was already a troubled character. Before Wesley reappeared in the Picard series as this next-level-of-human-evolution crap, he was part of the wedding scene in the Nemesis film, having a deleted scene where he will serve on Riker's ship, so for a small time, they considered undoing all this tripe. Of course, we did eventually get a character who chose to enter Starfleet and not only stuck it out to graduate, but managed to end up being a Lieutenant by the end, and didn't let something like a war injury and PTSD keep him down for the count. Nog in Deep Space Nine gave us a real left-field choice of a character going through Starfleet and damn if they didn't nail it! THIS should have been Wesley's arc, and it's a shame they chose instead to lean into the worst of his character.

[@evapunk522]

As a Wesley fan from way back, I agree with this wholeheartedly!! We were robbed from the best Wesley we ever could. Not that I blame Wil..the kid had it tough but I'm glad he seems to be living a good and mostly happy life now.. but damn, yeah that sucked.

[@ttintagel]

I adored Wesley from the very beginning. He was enough like me to make him my audience-insert character.

[@WoodysAR]

i still have nightmares about The Traveler molesting Wesley out there in multi dimensions... I was exactly Wesley's age when Star Trek started... I really liked him and the fact there was someone my age.

[@SAPProd]

@@WoodysAR that’s good to hear, cuz usually the discourse is “what’s the point of having a kid sidekick for the kids to imagine themselves as; they want to be the main hero!” Characters like Robin, who manage to have their own adventures and identity outside of their mentor’s shadow, are very rare. Yeah, even in the 80s, The Traveler didn’t seem like a great idea, and it reads even worse now. Even without that, having a kid be told he’s special and should get whatever he wants to fulfill that promise is absolutely the wrong message to send to kids. Even the best and brightest need to be tested by fire. Wesley had those moments, was found wanting, but instead of properly overcoming his flaws to be something greater, he washes out. And even THAT could have been a great arc for him if they did something with it, but nope, he whines “it was too hard, I never wanted to be Starfleet [bull], and I want to go off with the Traveler.” Complete regression. A shame

[@dr.juerdotitsgo5119]

I find it frustrating how present day fans are dismissive towards TOS, and act as if TNG is the true heart of Star Trek. It's like being a James Bond fan that doesn't like Sean Connery.

[@animeking62]

You inspired me to finish 5Ds, and then ended up inspired to watch one of the greatest stories of all time. It's like poetry, it rhymes. I hope this means Babylon 5 is next, now that you're firmly in the Trekkie corner

[@garethmolyneux1924]

Babylon 5 was really good too.

[@Thechezbailey]

My favorite show :)

[@l-l]

Babylon 5 is amazing. I totally second that. Just dont watch the spin off called Crusade.

[@boreaousx]

This was a great watch, thank you! I had grown up watching TOS reruns, the movies and TNG (born in 83 and my dad passed in 2009, unfortunately..) Star Trek always has, and always will hold a special place, even through my teenage years it was always something we would bond over, I appreciate the time and depth you took on the video, you've gained another subscriber! Take care.

[@TheTuubster]

43:00 Barclay btw has some of the typical symptoms of a schizoid personality disorder. In VOY his character is also used in several episodes over the series. Barclay is one of the examples how classic Trek shows characters usually cast aside in a society becoming the hero of a story due to their unique perspective. But this aspect of representation in classic Trek also always came with a twist: Minorities were represented, but always as their better self, since it was one of Roddenberry's core concept for Trek characters that they should be aspirational to the viewers (again not playing to the narcissism, but showcasing a better version of their represented self).

[@indieIist]

Picard Season 3 was really a treat. Especially knowing that all of these wonderful and talented actors got the send off I was hoping the movies would've

[@arturodelarosa4394]

It was a blatant squeez of nostalgia. I felt guilty enjoying it.

[@Kujakuseki01]

Keh’lar is still maybe the best guest star in the history of TNG. She is an incredibly memorable presence for only being in two episodes.

[@saalkz.a.9715]

Wasn't She an equally memorable (female) "Q"?

[@jmk1975]

@@saalkz.a.9715 Yes, but not until Star Trek: Voyager.

[@Knight_Astolfo]

For years after TNG ended, I had the mistaken idea that the show wrapped its timeline; that whatever Picard did to stop the anomaly sent him back to the encounter at Farpoint. It wasn't until the DVDs came out that I watched the series over again and realized that was just my delusion.

[@IN-tm8mw]

I can understand how you thought that. Mighty Max animated series had the same kind of ending.

[@bartvsbillgates]

your description of how your journey went with Star trek exactly resembles mine. I regret nothing. Trekkie for life!

[@jtlego1]

This video is at least 50% the reason I finally took the plunge into Star Trek, thanks Foxcade.

[@joshuapatrick682]

Susie Plakson could make any make one feel that way about an Alien and she played like 6 different races or more on star trek...she's still got it.

[@drazen1972cro]

I agree. She's my favorite alien ever :)

[@jeremiahdavismusic]

I just wanna say that I, personally, enjoy the early episodes, and the early seasons. I remember one episode, where Captain Picard was fencing with another dude. It's some early episode. I was watching it with my mom, she basically explained the concept of fencing(sword fighting) to me, and the suits, and the blunted swords. I was a toddler...but I remember that episode pretty well.

[@odiumgeneris729]

Worf's struggle is simply the struggle of African American men who are not thugs. And our love hate relationship with stereotypical black culture. Thanks, Michael Dorn. It's the only depiction of what we go through on film.

[@josephbrandenburg4373]

There was a surprisingly good episode around this theme in Deep Space Nine. It was called "Far Beyond the Stars".

[@wills2652]

I have loved Star Wars for such a long time and I wanted to get into another sci-fi show! Can’t wait to watch all the Star Trek stuff!

[@cosmicf3rn]

I’m so happy to see Barclay and Worf getting the love they deserve

[@meanbeanmachine]

Gates McFadden was a legend for going through with Sub Rosa.

[@joshuapatrick682]

17:30 i think thats why Mass Effect is my favorite science fiction property. Its essentially an exploration of what it means to be human even as far as the main character’s own humanity being questioned. It’s just great!

[@theXVthshadow]

So being a 90s baby, Star Trek as a whole was kind of before my time, but my parents watched and loved it and would watch every rerun when it was on. I finally decided to check it out a few years back (Original Series wasn't really my thing but I wanted to give the new one a watch). And aside from a rough beginning....yeah, I love TNG too. For me, it is such a perfect balance of complex sci-fi space opera and just the goofiest shit you've ever seen. Genuinely one of my favorite shows of all time.

[@kholt1776]

Just thinking about Picard joining the poker game makes me tear up.

[@nativenewlondoner]

And then the homage to it at the end of Picard 😢

[@crystalis79]

Vulcan, Alberta!! I spent 5 years of my childhood there back in the 80s. :) I've never heard it referenced in media anywhere! You're awesome. :)

[@Two-Checks]

"That is the exploration that awaits you! Not mapping stars and studying nebula, but charting the unknown possibilities of existence." "Q. What is it you're trying to tell me?" "You'll find out."

[@danielcalabrese5769]

Welcome to star trek my friend. I used to watch TNG when I was a teenager in the 90's and loved it, I realised that the series was on prime over here in Australia and I went on a binge for about 3 or 4 weeks reliving all the old adventures and it was great. I then went and skipped ds9 even though I did like it 90's but I prefer vouyger to ds9 and I watched all of that as well. I love star trek and always have.

[@patpanic2365]

Amazing video, thx! I'm glad people keep joining, it's so worth it, and wish the same joy and love for the series to anyone jumping in!

[@blancarosario7377]

Awesome review of TNG. You summarized up why it is still my favorite ST show. Though I would like to see your reflections on ST Picard, specifically season 3. Thanks for the memories 😊.

[@mortalspiral]

I remember going to a viewing party of the TNG series finale when I was 10. It was so weird to think that this thing that had been around as long as I could remember was ending

[@AJMurdoc]

A series that is about deep themes on humanity, allowed to be camp, and a central character who is struggling with his split heritage..... TNG is just space Devil May Cry in turn based discussions battles. Guess I gotta give it a try on Pluto.

[@CelestiaLily]

Well damn I never considered Trek as a comparison to DMC! I was always solidly in the "yeah it's Star Wars, and scarily consistent about it too" camp lmao. (Mainly with how Vergil's traumatic existence is explored in similar beats to Anakin's own. But yeah I gotta take a look at TNG again cuz now I'll probably see the similarities far better)

[@rienjen]

Wow. As soon as you mentioned how "Measure of a Man" was the defining episode in ST:TNG, I knew that you really understand this show. It's like a lightbulb went off in the writers' brains, that TNG had the potential to be something amazing, and it started with that one episode. And I enjoyed you giving appreciation to Barcley, and then bromancing about Worf--I've never been big into Klingon anything on the show, but as I've gone back to watch the series recently, I've come to appreciate how funny Michael Dorn is and how good he was as a Starfleet Klingon officer. And yes, Data is my favorite, but I like all the cast (including Troi--she started to develop more as a character when they stopped using her for every dang romance episode).

[@Draliseth]

Don't be shy around Enterprise. It's got a fantastic cast and arguably my favorite doctor, which is a hotly contested position. Also, funny story. I'm on a dating app and get hit up by someone who is curious because my profile lists Star Trek as an interest. They go on to ask which Trek I watch. I respond with pretty much everything from TNG to Kelvin. She inquired as to how I feel about the original series. I told her I haven't watched enough to really say but that I do love The Undiscovered Country and The Voyage Home - everyone loves The Voyage Home. She didn't take too kindly to Star Trek 6 being my favorite movie over the TOS itself, apologized for wasting my time, and dismissed herself. Never in my life did I think I'd see rejection from a woman *_for not liking ENOUGH Star Trek._*

[@stephenramos2824]

Undiscovered country is a great film, might actually be my fave of the original series cast

[@Draliseth]

@@stephenramos2824 That's what I was saying, but apparently I couldn't reach the high bar.

[@lordkayx]

I find discussing Trek incredibly fulfilling; it embodies the essence of what it means to engage with the Trek universe. When conversations veer into passionately defending the rights of sentient beings, whether natural or artificial, it's as if we're actively countering the regressive voices that seek to hinder progress. My journey into the world of Trek began at the age of 14, amidst personal challenges, as I immersed myself in reruns of Voyager. Those moments spent with my closest friends, playfully reciting lines like "decks 8 through 12 breached! Shields at 22%, engineering report!", left an indelible mark on my imagination. When I finally began to watch The Next Generation it was a joy, it and the other series has a timeless appeal, well all but TNG S01. The emotional depth conveyed through Patrick Stewart's profound speeches, grappling with moral dilemmas and their resolutions, sparked a realization within me. I began to actively cultivate my ability to articulate thoughts, using them as the catalyst for initiating discussions and diffusing tensions in various situations. Through Trek, I learned to navigate challenges with reason and thoughtfulness, a skillset I might not have honed otherwise.

[@nuclearpotato4073]

I love being able to see things like screws in the computer displays, or the scuffs from Picard's black boots in previous takes. Like you said, it gives the show such a human charm - the main focus is on the writing and the characters, and not the spectacle or effects, and so little things like that don't take away from the show, but instead add to it.

[@aviantheassassin9103]

*Fox, at the start of the video foaming at the mouth due to his hyperfixation* "After giving it careful thought... **I HAVE DECIDED TO BECOME WORSE**"

[@zeterzero4356]

That was fantastic. Thanks Foxcade for putting into words my feelings on these series. I have only one complaint....YOU DIDN'T EVEN MENTION GOWRON SON OF M'REL!!!! Other than that though fabulous video essay. God bless you, you strange deranged fox person.

[@jamesabernethy7896]

I've been a massive fan of Star Trek for years. Although I do watch Star Trek videos on KZbin anyway, I was intrigued by your title. A great video in both content and structure. Although there were poor episodes, many episodes had something great. Action, intrigue, emotion, philosophical and moral dilemmas, as well as those episodes that were fun. The variety that you got week to week kept people invested in the show, in the days when you did have to invest your time and effort into shows that couldn't just be binge-watched. Your point about Worf having,and living an idealised view of a Klingon lifestyle was something that I hadn't heard someone say before. Though the main stories were great, some obviously better than others, it was some of the smaller moments and guest cast that added so much depth. A scene you briefly touched on was O'Brien and the Cardassian, it had great acting but also some fantastic and subtle reactions. It Humanised the Cardassians. I've really enjoyed this video.

[@Michel-xb3rl]

This is fantastic. I fell in love with this show when I was six or so, and always felt weird about it. I love that more than 30 years later the show is not only relevant, but almost universally lovable. Even in one of our sourest moments in generations, listening to you pour over this show is cathartic. TNG really captured our highest aspirations, but wasn't afraid to constantly challenge them all along the way.

[@MatthewCaunsfield]

Always nice to hear a fresh perspective on Trek

[@NiamhIsBig]

**hears that mini Klingon rant at the intro** oh don't worry Strange New Worlds dropped that shit like a rock. Kingons look like Klingons again and not space orcs

[@Joy4everM0RE]

Good to know.

[@Mackenzie_EV]

always great to see a new fan of the series jumping into the pit with us. despite only having gotten into the series a few years ago, star trek is my favorite franchise and deep space nine is my favorite show of all time, so seeing another really new fan descend into the madness that is being a trekkie is absolutely cool.

[@colonelquack]

You get it. It's about ideas and characters. The adventure comes from how those ideas play out, and how our characters act. With Doctor Who cheese! Self-aware camp. Welcome to the family. I could never be senior staff, but I could be Barclay. Worf has internal honor. He cares more about that than external honor. As far as combat, he is Rocky. He won't give in. Surely you've seen the DS9 episode where Martok tells him that honor is satisfied. But, Worf won't relent. Star Trek makes you think what is possible.

[@M0j0J0j0]

This was awesome. One of the best watches I've ever had on KZbin. Well done 👏

[@TerranIV]

This is a really great video essay about ST TNG. Thanks for all the hard work that went into putting it together!

[@one-stopone-shots5733]

I am only 20 seconds in and i can say I started Star Trek for the same reason you did: RLM just kept talking about it to the point that I had to know what I was missing. Started from TOS and watched through all the shows (I had to stop at Discovery for obv reasons unfort) and I have to say it has become my favorite series ever fullstop. The characters, the plots, the corniness, its just all so perfect throughout all the series.

[@chrisS-cd6un]

A love letter I would like to sign. Just goin' through TNG for what must be the 10th time at least since the early 90s. Although I love DS9 almost as much, there was never another show that had such an impact on me. And you summarized pretty well what made it so special.

[@stripedpolkadots]

omg I'm so glad you've gotten into trek! It's so unexpectedly such a great obsession!

[@cope847]

The biggest thing that held back TNG in the early seasons was, ironically, Roddenberry himself. His mandate that there be no interpersonal drama between the crew and always be utopian really handcuffed the writers.

[@IN-tm8mw]

As a writer myself, i get it. The writer were used to writing drama so much, it can get out of control when you try something new. Even today writers still have a problem recapturing what made Star Trek different from other sci-fi shows. What made me love TNG was not the interpersonal drama but How mature or professional they dealt with it. Something I feel was lost to most modern writers of ST today. So it was a balancing act that i felt they got right naturally over time since all his mandates were only loosed and not completely disregarded.

[@mst40k]

31:29 - From my understanding - someone once explained to me - A universal translator allows for inter-species communication. We just watch from English speaking point of view. If we were to be watching from, say a native Bajoran's point of view, Picard would be speaking Bajoran. Not sure.

[@420Gold]

Got into Star Trek a little over ten years ago. Love it! Tng is absolutely brilliant once you get it. Ds9 is also insanely good.

[@monkeytime9851]

DS9 was always and still remains my favourite, but in the past few years I have come to appreciate TNG more and more.

[@arturodelarosa4394]

Just wrong: the right order from best to worst is: TNG, voyager, SNW, DS9, TOS, Picard, LD, Discovery

[@diccchocolate416]

​@@arturodelarosa4394bro just discovered opinions

[@Tribuneoftheplebs]

​@@arturodelarosa4394 TNG, DS9, Voyager is the only acceptable order. Voyager has too many boring characters.

[@miguelbranquinho7235]

You forgot Enterprise you hack!

[@monkeytime9851]

I could not sit through much of Voyager. The only characters I found interesting were Seven and the Doctor. Everyone else was pointless or annoying.

[@tomre2769]

I remember when I first saw the Barclay episodes, thinking how much I could relate to him, yet having no words for it rather then shyness :-) We did not talk of mental issues back then or have any understanding about angst in general. And this was around 1990 ish? Dont seem that long ago to me..

[@waywardsonfilms3253]

Great video dude. Love seeing genuine new Star Trek fans that find the love for it by actually understanding what it is and does. Thanks for spreading the word in a well made video. Awesome.

[@micahprice2807]

I have to pause you right there… and ask how that opening didn’t include Voyager, which is better than than DS9… *puts on helmet against incoming fire*

[@volkhen0]

Voyager is wasted opportunity. It could have been like BSG.

[@Me11oCarm]

"Family" is in my top 3 episodes of television. The way Jean Luc and Robert can finally express their true feelings while being masked in mud... genius. Also... great synopsis of Lt. Barkley. You've got a new subscriber 👍

[@DisillusionedMillennial]

can you do one on DS9 please? this was so good and while I love TNG, DS9 had the best season long arcs.

[@arturodelarosa4394]

Voyager first.

[@Isaacisaperson4677]

@@arturodelarosa4394ds9 came out first so DS9

[@MorderElg]

Let me offer a belated welcome to the family! And among other things, in this video you really found the feels activation trigger. Always great to see and hear from new trekkies about their journey.

[@Jipper1984]

My dad and I where big TNG fans, watched it steady. I was just a kid, but I remember always being super interested in the episodes with borgs. Great memories:) Cool video, cheers

[@PIMPTD]

I was so glad you mentioned the time wrap episode. That was probably my favorite episode.

[@Mordaedil]

What a wonderful little essay that summarizes how I feel about TNG too.

[@DecayedAndy]

"greatest finally ever" dont get me wrong i like it but it doesnt hold a candle to Babylon 5's Sleeping in Light, if you havent seen B5 and liked Ds9 (hope for one of these sort of vids on that) then you really should, though the 1st season is rough....like Next Gen XD

[@jocax188723]

"Even minor ones like Deanna Troi's mother or Miles O'Brien, the officer in charge of the transporter." Minor? MINOR?!

[@jamespfp]

43:05 -- Oh Wow, this gets its very own Comment. My only regret is that I cannot Thumb this video Up twice, because you have properly recognized the value in Barclay as a character, and that in turn means you recognize the strength brought to the performance by Dwight Schultz. Some of us remember him when he was on "The A-Team", mango! The weird thing about Dwight is that he gets typecast, but he's a strong, dramatic, and theatrically minded actor.

[@jamespfp]

^^ Other pertinent deets to consider about Barclay: He shares more than one similarity with Doctor McCoy from TOS. To wit, he doesn't like transporters; and has at least once in his life been possessed with alien knowledge far beyond the normal limits of human possibility; both are benignly self-interested as well as altruistic. With respect to making him the hero, it is not random chance that this is about transporters. Barclay is in a kind of self-imposed Control Group when it comes time to jump on the transporter pad. McCoy canonically was vocal about such concerns, and apparently lived for quite a long while despite the many times he used one. Plus, of course, there's Scotty spending nearly 80 years in a transporter buffer, but hey, it was green at the time.

[@randomfox12245]

Your editing has gotten really good dude. Kudos !

[@frojoe2004]

When Picard says "I should have done this years ago" at the end of all good things. I cry.... every time.... Just thinking about it brings me to tears.

[@joshuapatrick682]

5:00 none of us do Worfy, it’s why we’re all here…

[@WightHouse45]

Found you with the Futurama retrospective, saw this one and it was an instant click. Love Star Trek and glad you feel the same

[@Tacom4ster]

Great essay, The Orville sorta scratch that itch for more Next Gen for me

[@occamsrazor1285]

8:25 I thought he said "aged like 'nope'" at first. Still hilariously apt though.

[@fmphotooffice5513]

Finally, a perspective from a new fan instead of a gushing tribute trying to hammer in what you are "missing out on" by ignoring "the fabulous Star Trek". Well done.

[@swiftwindturning]

Excellent. One thing about Picard's assimilation by the Borg that you didn't mention was that, there would always be this underlying fear on the part of Starfleet, that Picard could turn at any time back to the Borg.

[@animationfanatic2133]

This was great, i also recently got into Star Trek. Next do DS9

[@WakeUpUniverse66]

Dude, please upload more!

[@Foxcade]

I'm trying!

[@aloverspoetry]

Star Trek tng changed my life and view on things. Starting with 16, my parents showing me the first episodes and saying „huh.. don’t remember it being like that. But it will get better!“ and me thinking „are they okay?? This is what they love??“ to half a year later, me writing an assay about AI representation in media and as an outlook in the future on the example of data for school. Analyzing my way through the first episode for my teacher and picking everything apart (for example the Pinocchio scene, Data being second officer, as well as whistling „pop goes the weasel“, which often related to workers not having enough etc). And now I’m studying in stem, just about to finish it and chose the Uni after my possibilities to choose courses in astrobiology and physics. And not just that. The philosophical questions that changed my perception of life and humans. How we interact with each other. How I want to be perceived but also how I perceive others. In any case „prejudice is very human“, but I aspire to overcome that. All thanks to Star Trek~ Will always wish to experience that kind of future if just for a day