Just exactly how much better does S2/S3 get?

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MAJORMETAL84@reddit

I've heard Jonathan Frakes say at conventions, skip to season 3! hahahaha

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NotAnotherUsername04@reddit

The first two series did seem like a natural follow on from the the original series tv show. From season 3 it was more like the movies from the 2nd movie on.

I love both so I can’t really honestly answer this from my perspective but for most people I can understand why they say it does.

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GlassCannon81@reddit

Season 2 is noticeably better than 1. Season 3 is quite a lot better than either and they’re all great from there on.

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Retinoid634@reddit

It gets much better. You’re not there yet. Does Riker even have his beard yet? Keep going. The writing really evolves in season 2.

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Twigling@reddit

Season 1 has more misses than hits, but there's some fairly good episodes in there. Perhaps look up a 'best of' list and just stick to those episodes?

Season 2 also has its share of misses but, for me at least, there are a lot more hits, particularly in the second half. That said, do avoid episode 18 ('Up the Long Ladder') - it's woefully bad! One of the BEST episodes of season 2 is The Measure of a Man (the broadcast episode is excellent, do seek out the extended version if you can because it's even better, although as I recall that's only on Blu-ray).

Season 3 and after are more consistently great (although season 7 has its fair share of misses, but also some great hits).

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Original_Scholar_272@reddit

Season 2 includes one of the all-time best Star Trek episodes. I’ll leave it to you to find out which that is. NGL, there are still some stinkers, but hang in there.

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lem0ns22@reddit

Season 2 has a lot of great episodes. People saying to skip it are nuts.

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Original_Scholar_272@reddit

If I had to choose, I’d rather watch S2 than S7.

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laioren@reddit

Two episodes after Haven is pretty good. But just wait for season 2 episode 9. SO GOOD!

But yeah, a LOT of seasons 1 & 2 are rough. The other issue is that a lot of those episodes do have great character building moments in them, so they pay off down the road.

There’s no worries admitting it’s not for you. Don’t feel like you have to struggle through them if you don’t want. But, if you do struggle through, it definitely pays off.

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jasonite@reddit

Season one is rough, season two is better but still hit or miss, season 3 on is gold. If you want a list of the essential episodes for season one, I'd stick with: Encounter at Farpoint, Where No One Has Gone Before, The Big Goodbye, Datalore, Heart of Glory and Skin of Evil.

Season 2: Elementary Dear Data, A Matter of Honor, The Measure of a Man, Time Squared, Q WHo?, The Emissary.

Then start season 3

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settingdogstar@reddit

It always gets better each season.

But, imo, it stops trying to be The Original Series:2 exactly at the beginning of the season 3.

New uniforms, some new crew, Rodenberry has been mostly wrangled away from the scripts, and they are a lot of more committed to doing "their own thing".

Its a pretty significant and obvious upgrade from the first shot of that episode. There's still weird episodes and silly plots, but that significantly decreases in favour of continuity and "serious" themes.

Then from there each season is just gets better!

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AnotherGalaxys@reddit

Well...I think season 3 is possibly the best, you have like 10 of the top 25 TNG episodes there.

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settingdogstar@reddit

Meh, for some

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Used-Gas-6525@reddit

I dunno. I would argue that S7 is far from the peak of the show. I'd put that somewhere S3-5 (depending on one's tastes).

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GoatApprehensive9866@reddit

Seasons 2-5 for me. 5 stumbles, but 6 and 7 fumble in the plot department. It's amazing how great Pegasus and All Good Things were.

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droppedpackethero@reddit

Are you for real?

S6 alone has Relics, Schisms, Chain of Command, Tapestry, Birthright, Starship Mine, The Chase, Rightful Heir.

Rascals is the only silly episode that season, and it's highly watchable as far as silly episodes go.

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GoatApprehensive9866@reddit

Relics was as bad to Scotty as season 1 was to Tasha.

Schisms was an interesting take on alien abduction but X Files would have done it better.

Chain of Command is great but they're contriving Picard to get there.

Jean-Luc McClane describes Starship Mine.

Rightful Heir = zzzz.

Chase was great except for the bland incidental music.

Birthright does Data no favors and the Worf subplot was muddled. Haven't watched it for years.

Tapestry is good, if not myopic.

The season had a follow-up to Inner Light, which I like far more than that season 5 story.

True Q is inspired a lot by The Wizard of Oz and the tornado in Kansas is a bit much, but not without some terrific moments.

Guinan and Ro get the best stuff in Rascals, and there were better ways for the Ferengi to take over and they go out of their way to emphasize the adults instead of the kids at times. But it is fun to watch and everyone involved knows how to handle the episode, which helps.

Timescape is the best of the season.

Descent pt 1 started great as well...

Ship in a Bottle is excellent as well.

In reflecting, I'm beginning to realize the music is what lets down more of the season than some of the actual stories.

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OlYeller01@reddit

For every Pegasus in S7 there’s a Sub Rosa, though you could argue that one is so terrible it’s great.

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droppedpackethero@reddit

Gambit, Parallels, Force of Nature, LOWER FUCKING DECKS, Inheritance, Bloodlines, Preemptive Strike.

Sure it has a few stinkers, but every season does.

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Darkling183@reddit

Brannon Braga simultaneously gave us Parallels and Sub Rosa in the one season. Even TNG's pinch-hitters were fumbling in season 7.

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settingdogstar@reddit

Idk maybe. It just seems annoying to do the "well this season is good, then this season is kinda okay, and then it gets better, and then season 7 is bad etc etc." schtick.

It really just doesn't help anyone, it's confusing, and gets so into subjective opinion it's useless to anyone else reading.

Objectively they got more money, better/bigger writers, less Rodenberry, and more complex/nuanced plots as time went on till the end.

Thats all irregardless of whatever long running plot choices "fumbled the ball" in season 7ish, which I don't really agree with either but I get it.

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Used-Gas-6525@reddit

The 'less Gene' was probably the most important variable. I'm OK with styrofoam rocks and cheap sets. What wasn't OK was the absolutely toxic atmosphere he created. He and the actors hated each other, the below the line people hated Gene and vice versa. Dude was apparently a complete tyrant. And his adherence to stuff like 'the crew members should have no interpersonal conflict because in the bucolic future, people are above that'. That makes for some boring TV.

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GargamelLeNoir@reddit

I've watched the original series, it's much better than season 1 and 2 of tng.

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settingdogstar@reddit

Okay? Nothing to do with what I said lol

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GargamelLeNoir@reddit

I just pointed out that even if they tried to be TOS 2 they failed at that, let alone making a good new show.

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settingdogstar@reddit

No, they succeeded. It just wasn't very good.

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Distinct_Cry_3779@reddit

The beginning of S3 was when Michael Piller came on as head of the writer’s room for TNG, and the tenor of the series changes a lot from that point on. Piller‘s mandate to the writers was to focus on the characters and their relationships rather than just the plot-of-the-week, and you can really tell that this is when the characters grow into themselves, and the actors become more comfortable portraying them.

There are certainly some good episodes in S1 and 2, but it doesn’t get consistently good until 3, and Piller deserves a huge amount of credit for that.

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beta_zed@reddit

It's interesting because people often think Michael Piller was responsible for all of S3, but in fact the showrunner for the first few episodes of Season 3 was Michael Wagner. He was responsible for early S3 episodes such as The Survivors, Who Watches The Watchers, Ensigns of Command. Some of these had rewrites after Piller took over before any of S3 had aired, but it's interesting to see what S3 could have been if not for Wagner deciding it wasn't for him and leaving the show. Arguably a continuation of "plot of the week" and less character revolution. What might have become of TNG? That's another thread!

To the OP, stick it out. There's some great stuff towards the back half of Season 1: Conspiracy and The Arsenal of Freedom are two great episodes. Season 2 has some really good stuff too but it's not until Season 3 that the show really gets going in my opinion. This might make people's heads explode* but if you're finding it that hard you could skip ahead to S3 and then go back to watch the earlier seasons, but if you do that make sure you watch Q Who from season 2 first.

Late season 1 reference 😁

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Distinct_Cry_3779@reddit

That‘s interesting - I always thought that Piller was in right from the start of S3. Thanks for the info! You’re not wrong that it makes for an interesting “what if…?”

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beta_zed@reddit

You're most welcome. I actually enjoy the Michael Wagner episodes a lot. The Survivors is a great high-concept sci-fi story. Not sure if that direction would have worked long-term though. The story goes that Piller had submitted the script for "Evolution" and was suddenly asked to come on as showrunner after Wagner suddenly left. Talk about right place, right time! And (IMO) thankfully he took the gig!

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The_Lloyd_Dobler@reddit

Honestly, you could probably just start watching at the beginning of season 3. If you make it through seasons 3-7 and actually enjoy the show, you can watch seasons 1-2 later just as a curiosity.

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Used-Gas-6525@reddit

This is generally what I do. I'll usually rewatch Encounter At Farpoint to start though. There actually is some pretty good stuff in there. The rest of S1 is 100% skippable and there's only a couple of S2 episodes worth watching, but as you say, there's no need to slog through two seasons to get to the good stuff (S3+)

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Triad64@reddit

I’d say there are good (even a some great) S1 episodes.

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GargamelLeNoir@reddit

Can't think of any. Some reach the dizzying heights of fine like the binar one. But good or great? Do you have examples?

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Triad64@reddit

I’d say these episodes are great:
- Where No One Has Gone Before
- The Big Goodbye
- 11001001
- Coming of Age
- The Arsenal of Freedom
- Conspiracy

I also really enjoyed these:
- When the Bough Breaks
- Heart of Glory

These I’d say are “good” but maybe not “great”
- Datalore
- Skin of Evil
- The Neutral Zone

I wouldn’t count it but I know some people really like Symbiosis.
Heck I even enjoyed “The Naked Now” even though it’s a bit silly.

Altogether that’s 46% of the season that I’d consider at least “good” episodes.

Season 1 was definitely more raw than the later refined seasons, but I feel it also had a specific charm that was lost in those later episodes. e.g. the sense of wonder (and special effects!) in Where No One Has Gone Before were fantastic. And the music! Part of what I enjoy about these S1 episodes is that charm.

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GargamelLeNoir@reddit

Yeah, with an exception for Measure of a Man.

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Fabulous-Sea-1590@reddit

Kinda like Blackadder.

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kse64@reddit

Whoa now. Are you saying Blackadder series 2 was bad?

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Fabulous-Sea-1590@reddit

No, since there're only 4 series, it's compressed. So the 1st series is practically an unrelated show – dispensable – but 2 is great and it just keeps getting better with each series.

Though, TNG season 7 isn't my favorite either. Whereas Blackadder series 4 is legendary as one of the absolute best in the history of TV.

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kse64@reddit

I've lowered my weapons. You're alright.

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Triad64@reddit

I would never skip season 2. Several great episodes!

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The27Roller@reddit

Have you watched Measure of a Man yet? S2E9. One of my favourite episodes of TV ever.

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Foulmouthedleon@reddit

Generally speaking, most shows that run 5+ seasons get better at seasons 2-4. The actors are more familiar with the writing, their roles/characters, etc. S1 wasn’t bad by any means, but they were working out a lot of kinks. Plus when they introduced the Borg - things like that just made it better.

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BobbyP27@reddit

S3 is where the show really finds its feet, though S2 has a some good episodes. Because of the episodic style of the show, I would suggest you might have a better time of it jumping ahead to S3 and watching from there. You can always come back and finish off S1 and S2 later if you get into the show.

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lem0ns22@reddit

People saying that season 2 is just as bad or worse than season 1 is wild.

I agree that skipping season 1 is generally the right move for new TNG fans but Season 2 has a lot of great episodes that feel like the future seasons of TNG, DS9, and the rest.

Do what you want but TNG IS a slow burning show where you need to invest in the psychology and moral philosophy of each character individually to truly appreciate everything about it. Maybe that mixed with the episodic nature of the show isn’t for you.

Loud as a Whisper, Matter of Honor, Measure of a Man, Elementary My Dear Data, and Q Who are literally all episodes that I consider “CLASSIC TNG” and honestly the combination of those episodes encapsulates what the show will continue to be. People are tripping if they say to skip the season entirely.

I do think there is merit in just watching some widely regarded great episodes of TNG and if those don’t capture you…you won’t like the rest of the show. You have seen enough of the show now to know the characters and nothing in the show offers THAT much of a spoiler.

TL;DR season 2 has a lot of classic episodes and if you don’t like the show that’s fine.

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cclmd1984@reddit

I still don’t watch season 1. Season 2 has some gems (Where Silence Has Lease, Measure of a Man, Q Who) but still isn’t really great.

I’d skip to S2 and watch Q Who?

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coolfunkDJ@reddit (OP)

Thank you! You’ve encouraged me to keep going, i’ll see how long i can tough it out first before skipping

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Singing_Wolf@reddit

IMO, A Matter of Honor is the best episode of season 2, it's well worth watching!

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worm-friend@reddit

There are some curated "good" episode guides that you could use to try to skip bad episodes while still getting a good sampling.

Here's one from awhile back:

https://www.reddit.com/r/startrek/comments/1718jsr/the_ultimate_star_trek_tng_essential_episodes/

I've been doing something similar for my wife to intro her to the show, based on my own taste, although occasionally she loves certain episode that I don't like 😅.

Definitely don't hesitate to skip stuff! The show is very episodic. It's kinda interesting how the way we view things has changed from the broadcast TV days. By skipping, arguably you're experiencing it more like how people originally did when they couldn't catch every episode, and you can always try to catch some "reruns" that you missed later 😉.

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kizami_nori@reddit

That list has some problems if it's to be used as a "watch these" list. Crazy to see s3 done so dirty.

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kizami_nori@reddit

The tricky part is if you skip ahead, you're definitely missing good episodes, as they're not sequential in terms of quality. Some episodes also start rough but roll out into something deeper.

Depending where you are in Season 1, a list of "these are safe to skip" might make it smoother for a first watch. I'm in the camp that there's a good handful of episodes in the first two seasons that are worth watching every full-series re-viewing.

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jacobgrey@reddit

Unlike modern shows, they are made to be watchable out of order by design. Just skip to the good stuff now, no need to tough it out. You can always come back if you want to later!

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Tasty-Fault-9610@reddit

It gets a lot better, the writing improves, they get rid of Yar and allow Worf to develop, they make Picard less aloof, Troy gets a bit less ridiculous, I liked that they gor rid of Dr Crusher, but she comes back in s3.

Same as Voyager, it is the S3 cliffhanger that sets it ablaze.

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Johnny_Strawhat@reddit

Season one isn’t even that bad. Embrace the camp. Don’t listen to the opinions online. And yes, Season 5 is some of the best television put to screen. That’s just objectively true.

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Batgirl_III@reddit

I don’t always agree completely with the reviews on Ex Astris Scientia, but I do think they are fair and for the most part seem to match general fandom consensus…

Season # (Average Rating) Season 1 (4.65) Season 2 (4.86) Season 3 (6.77) Season 4 (7.03) Season 5 (6.72) Season 6 (6.63) Season 7 (6.01) *Season 7 without AGT I & II (5.73)

Which seems to fit the general fandom perception that TNG starts out below average in the early seasons, “grows the beard” in late season two, hits its stride for seasons three through five… and runs out of steam in season six.

There’s a several good episodes in season six and even a few good episodes in season seven… and the finale is an absolute banger.

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Business-Decision719@reddit

Season 1, everyone is still finding their footing, and it's not clear yet who the final cast will be. There are some fun episodes to be sure. Encounter at Far point successfully sets the tone for the series.

Season 2, Geordie is chief engineer finally, and Worf is evolving from a barely restrained wild animal to a gruffer and angstier Data. Worf's chief of security now and by season 3 he'll be classing it up with the formal foreigner vibe. Unfortunately they bring in a new doctor, who is possibly one of the most fumbled characters of all time. She could have been good, and a lot of people do nowadays like her in hindsight, but they try to set up this Spock/McCoy thing with her and Data, and ... ouch. By the time they realize she could potentially have better chemistry with Worf, the season is over. We do get to meet the Borg this season, though, and Riker gets to be on a Klingon ship for a while, and in another episode gets to confront his father. Fun times.

Season 3 is really the first season where the show has fully solidified into TNG as it's been remembered. From here in out we've got Picard, Riker, Troi, Data, Crusher, Laforge as the main senior staff. The actors are used to playing those roles and the adventures they go on are a good fit for the characters and the show's overall vibe. There will still be cringe nonsense sometimes (like dating a haunted light fixture) but for the most part they fall into a "solve the mystery and save the day" pattern that's very satisfying.

If you can make it through the season 2 premiere being a ridiculous "pregnancy in a day" plot and the season 2 finale being a clip show, you can make it to season 3 and it's mostly smooth sailing from there.

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man_vs_cube@reddit

My 2 cents: seasons 1 and 2 are barely the same show. Check out some well regarded episodes from around seasons 3-5. If it's still not clicking then, feel free to quit.

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Ketev@reddit

TNG/DS9/Voyager all took about 2 seasons for writers/actors to hit stride. Because Season 3 is when Riker adds his beard it became known as “growing the beard.”

Each season 1/2 has a few gems. Definitely don’t miss “Measure of a Man”, “Elementary, Dear Data”, or “Q Who?” Denise used to say the writing was so bad for her you could prop a cardboard cutout of her legs behind Patrick and not call her in if you wanted to some days.

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rebuildingrob@reddit

Seasons, one and two are definitely the ones that Gene Roddenberry had his hand in more than anything else. That means a lot of of his old writing buddies from TS were involved as well.

The show does get better during season two. It is a little bit clunky at times. But “the measure of a man“ is one of the best hours that TNG ever created.

Things really do start to takeoff during season three this is when Rick Berman and Michael Piller were essentially in charge of the show at that point.

And I will just tell you that season three gives us the best season finale cliffhanger in the Star Trek franchise.

I recommend you stick with it. You’re already getting a sense of Data and Picard. Those characters are only going to grow, all of the characters are going to grow, some that as much as others though.

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Valar_Kinetics@reddit

It gets enormously better, especially in Season 3 and beyond. I entirely skipped Season 1 on my rewatch, to give you an idea.

If you really want to get into it, watch a few of the all time great episodes FIRST then watch the series all the way through. There is little continuity until you hit Season 6-7.

Watching Farpoint is a good start, but then watch “Best of Both Worlds” and “Reunification” like back to back and if you’re not hooked after that, you don’t like TNG.

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MaleficentOstrich693@reddit

I’m on first full watch right now as well. Season 2 is better, but season 3 is when they hit their groove. It’s quite excellent.

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small___potatoes@reddit

Seasons 3-7 are excellent. Stick with it.

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therealskr213@reddit

Season 3 is when it’s really hitting its stride. Season 2 is when it transforms from okay to good.

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dimgray@reddit

In the early 90s, TNG with the collared uniforms from season 3 on was my favorite show on TV. TNG with the season 1 lighting was an immediate letdown when I was expecting the other show

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Thin_Dream2079@reddit

At least let Riker grow a beard

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coolfunkDJ@reddit (OP)

I'm already aware that Yar leaves but honestly I'm kinda dreading it, she's one of my favourite characters and it seems like the writers forget she exists 90% of the time.

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beta_zed@reddit

Yar reappears in the S3 episode Yesterday's Enterprise which is arguably one of the best, if not the best episode of the entire series, so don't worry too much, you'll still get Yar and Denise! The irony is the episode in which Yar dies she actually had some really nice scenes and Denise Crosby said if she had had more to do like that she never would have left. Shows how all over the place the writing was in S1 and hence the struggle to watch it. Heck, I find some S1 episodes tough to get through!

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Thin_Dream2079@reddit

Denise does reappear in later seasons as a Romulan if its any consolation. Worf gets the full treatment and should have had a spin-off series.

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TheChronek@reddit

I mean, any cliffhanger since mid-1990 gets measured against Best of Both Worlds.

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EvaTheE@reddit

Maybe you should watch a standalone good episode from a later season.

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More_Pineapple3585@reddit

My unpopular opinion is that TNG and many other episodic shows of that era (Northern Exposure comes to mind) are prone to series fatigue when binged, they just weren't designed to be consumed that way. I think watching a couple episodes a week, either combined with a different Trek or just something else, makes them more enjoyable. Add in the 20+ episode seasons and it's just too much.

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beta_zed@reddit

This is a very good take!

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aloe_veracity@reddit

I agree with this take. TNG is intentionally episodic. It was meant to be savoured, not consumed all at once.

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coolfunkDJ@reddit (OP)

Yeah you have a good point. I am a disgustingly huge Doctor Who fan and those classic episodes are much better enjoyed with frequent breaks in between.

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_R_A_@reddit

Season 2 has some truly classic episodes, but even I (a S1/S2 appreciator) can acknowledge that the production values and writing go up a major notch in season 3.

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Temporary_Pie2733@reddit

The reairing of the S3 finale the week before the S4 premiere is what got me hooked after giving up after S1 aired. It was during S4 that TNG hit the magic 100-episode mark that let TNG be packaged for syndication, meaning local TV stations could air old episodes every week night. This was the version of binge-watching that let me catch up on all the S2 and S3 episodes I had originally missed, as well as watch the S1 episodes again in my late teens. They weren’t good, but Incould watch them with a better understanding than 13-year-old me had when they originally aired.

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greenbud420@reddit

I love TNG but usually skip S1/2. It's mostly episodic so feel free to skip ahead.

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Specialeyes9000@reddit

Skip S1 and s2 entirely. Go back to them at the end for curiosity.

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Neoxenok@reddit

I hear all the time that it gets better, but i’m completely new to the series and this is my first introduction and it’s been tough to get through.

That is fair. S1 is rough in general but S2 is much more uneven - it has better episodes but it also has worse episodes than S1. I assume because more scripts aren't recycled OG ST scripts. S2 does have what is generally considered one of the best episodes in the franchise, not just TNG. The general quality of S3 is a very noticable spike but most of S2's best episodes are later in the season.

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Miami_Mice2087@reddit

like 1000% better. Skip the rest of the first season and the first ep of the second season if you're hating it this much

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ExpectedBehaviour@reddit

Season two isn't much better than season one, though it has one or two standout episodes that are really good. It's very much still finding its feet.

Season three is practically a whole new show and is leaps and bounds better than what came before.

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kse64@reddit

Can't believe anyone is saying skip S2. Some absolute classic episodes in there that are exactly what Trek is about, and sets up later seasons.

There's a lot of filler but stay for the killer, my friend.

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Large-Switch-4548@reddit

Season 1 has a few good episodes that I would include such as Encounter at Farpoint, the Big Goodbye, Conspiracy, Neutral Zone, and I don’t mind We’ll Always have Paris. The last sections of episodes is a big improvement of the early episodes which are mostly awful.

Season 2 episodes highs are much better than Season 1 are, though there is also the horror episodes like Shades of Gray clip show and the Outrageous Okona, but there are some episodes that shouldn’t be missed.

These include Where Silence has Leased, Elementary Dear Data, A Matter of Honor, Measure of a Man, Time Squared, Q Who, the Emissary, and maybe Peak Performance, with Q Who, the Emissary, and Measure of a Man all being important later.

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sage_006@reddit

Season 2 is somewhat better. They start to iron out the kinks. Season 3 is really where it finds its footing and get really good. I always advise new watchers to start in season 3 then go back and watch season 1 and 2 afterwards. If you're not into it after season 3, the show isnt for you.

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dinosaurkiller@reddit

90s era Trek is notorious for bad early seasons. It improves a bit in season 2 with some mediocre episodes punctuated by a few great episodes. somewhere near the end of season 2 they bring in an entirely new writing team. It still takes a little time for them to get going but about halfway through season three there is a run of episodes that will absolutely hook you and it mostly keeps that level of quality for the rest of the series, with a few episodes coming in later episodes that are considered the best Trek ever made.

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Used-Gas-6525@reddit

Season 1 is garbage, save for a couple of episodes. I don't even watch it when I go back to the show. Hell, I barely revisit S2. There's more good stuff than S1, but it's still very hit and miss. S3 is when TNG felt like a completely different show than TOS. And the two parter that ends S3 and begins S4 is the greatest two part episode of any Trek franchise.

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GoatApprehensive9866@reddit

Season 2 is a remarkable improvement. Yes, it has a couple stinkers, but a lot of above-average sci-fi. Only one episode of season 2 is as bad as season 1's worst, but few of season 2 on average are as mundane as season 1's average.

Season 3 polishes any remaining issues and nails it all beautifully.

But season 2 is underrated, especially considering it was clobbered by a strike.

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Used-Gas-6525@reddit

It's got Measure Of A Man, which is one of the all-timers, and there ain't a lot of them in S2, despite it being way better than S1. It and The Drumhead are without a doubt the best Picard monologues in the show.

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tsukiyomi01@reddit

S2 is a notable improvement. S3 is when the show gets good.

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Standard-Outcome9881@reddit

The acting improves from the 1st to 2nd season. Not that it was bad in the first season, but it just gets a lot better. Everyone is a lot less stiff.

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Used-Gas-6525@reddit

That probably had something to do with Gene insisting on the actors reading the dialogue as written with no room to play. The actors hated Gene and he hated them right back. Also, S1 is a lot of TOS scripts which didn't translate well 20-something years later.

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tsukiyomi01@reddit

Agreed. I was watching TNG as it aired, and the improvement overall from s1 to s2 was tangible.

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mlaislais@reddit

Just like Babylon 5!

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tsukiyomi01@reddit

I do have a fair amount of fondness for B5's first two seasons. But s3 is definitely where a lot of the groundwork starts paying off.

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mwonch@reddit

1987, I was 20 years old and already a 10 year veteran of TOS reruns. I was excited at a new generation of Trek. That 1st season nearly made me give up on Trek. No joke. There was an okay episode here and there, but overall it was so bad I was ashamed to admit I liked Trek.

Season 2 came along, I gave it a chance. It was much better, but still hit and miss. There were GREAT episode that made the normal or bad episodes tolerable. Kinda like TOS, in fact (mostly that one was retarded but the cast and writing made it fun when it was not good). Same for S2 of TNG. TNG is far more serious than TOS, but they still figured out how to make it fun in S2. Be aware that S2 can be quite cringe, but not nearly as much as S1. When advising people where to begin with TNG, I always say S2. Save S1 for later. It is not serialized, so skipping seasons is fine.

S3 is where the show really begins to shine. The actors were comfortable in their roles, the writers were higher quality, and the production was better funded (meaning better guest stars and guest writers). Starts off nice, but in the middle by Yesterday's Enterprise, it really kicks off and the show doesn't lose steam until later S7.

If you're already done with S1, you are past the worst. Congrats! If not yet completely done, skip forward to The Neutral Zone (I think it's the final episode). Trust me, that will revitalize your hope, S2 will nurture it along, S3 and beyond will be binge worthy.

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Cookie_Kiki@reddit

Not Conspiracy?

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Cookie_Kiki@reddit

There's no rule against skipping.

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Lopsided-Farm4122@reddit

You honestly could have skipped most of season 1 and 2. Some fans hate it when you tell people to do this but many of these early episodes genuinely add nothing of value to the show when you look at it as a whole. Definitely true of the first season at least. Season one is just bad. It's not underrated or misunderstood or anything like that. One thing that puts me off about the first season is the tone. It is awkward and literally feels nothing like the rest of the show. The show absolutely gets much better. I would strongly advise you look up a list of skippable episodes until you get to season three. Then you can go back and watch them later if you enjoy the show as a whole.

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PuzzleheadedCook4578@reddit

Encounter at Farpoint Where No One Has Gone Before Justice Hide and Q The Big Goodbye Conspiracy The Neutral Zone

Even though I'll always stick up for it (like now), season one has many flaws, however, for different reasons, I'd call these The Magnificent Seven.

Where Silence Has Lease Elementary, Dear Data A Matter of Honor The Measure of a Man Q Who The Emissary

Season two has fewer excuses than its predecessor, but for me, that's what makes it the worst season, even including the often laughable seventh season. I'm certainly not suggesting these are the only good episodes in the seasons (I actually think The Child is badly underrated, but I do love Marina), but yes, season three remains to this day, one of the finest seasons of any show, ever, and four isn't far behind.

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GeneralOdd8900@reddit

season 3 is a significant improvement. also its not a good show for binge watching.

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BILLCLINTONMASK@reddit

You'll appreciate Season 1 more when you have seen the whole series. They have a lot of big ideas that they try to do, but they just didn't quite have the kinks worked out of the formula.

Season 3 of TNG is, IMO, the best season of Star Trek, period. They finally figured out the formula and crank out banger after banger ending with the ultimate cliffhanger.

What sets it above all the other best of Trek is the music director, Ron Jones. He does great work throughout the first three and a half seasons of the series. He writes really powerful stuff and the score becomes more generic after he leaves. The music is often notably good, even in the worst season 1 and 2 episodes.

But yeah, 3-6 of TNG are Trek at its absolute best.

Q Who? and The Measure of a Man are both standouts in season 2 that are up the quality of later seasons of the show. That'll give you the best indication of what to expect before you arrive at season 3.

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shadowndacorner@reddit

Season 1 is awful tbh. If I had started there, I wouldn't have watched the rest of the show. 2 has some great episodes, but also some serious duds. 3 forward is pretty consistently great.

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rantingathome@reddit

I wonder if people should suggest the S1 and S2 episodes that OP should watch if the slog gets too tough. Like Q-who and Measure of A Man shouldn't be skipped for sure.

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CleavingStriker@reddit

Season 3 is fantastic and a vast improvement over 1 & 2

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Wooden-Computer1475@reddit

S1 is unwatchable

S2 is mostly bad but has a few good ones

3 and 4 are incredible

5 is slightly worse

6 is slightly worse than 5

I haven't watched 7 yet

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samsinx@reddit

I’d say S5 was peak for consistency. Generally the quality was high but there were no real episodes that would break the top five best of the show. I do agree S6 dropped a bit in quality and the show felt tire by S7 (Parallels, penultimate and finale episodes not withstanding.)

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Able_Resident_1291@reddit

My unpopular opinion is that S2 is almost as rough as S1 despite Riker having his beard. I would jump ahead to S3 where they basically had a soft reboot behind the scenes, it's noticeably better.

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SharkBubbles@reddit

Can’t skip Q Who? though.

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samsinx@reddit

A bunch are saying skip to Season 3 but don’t. It you must watch another season 1 episode I’d do The Neutral Zone (last episode of S1 only for the reintroduction of a main species.). In S2 there are some decent character episodes but watch at least Measure a Man and especially Q Who. Then go to Season 3. TNG was produced before streaming when many people often missed those first two seasons. You’ll find some episodes where you’ll wonder what they’re talking about and then if you like the series enough to finish, go back.

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Malnurtured_Snay@reddit

S2 is markedly better, and S3 (and S4) are probably the strongest run of consistently good episodes for the entire show.

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jackrabbit323@reddit

Season 1 is background TV while I cook and clean and fix my bikes. New watchers might as well skip it. Season 2 I can work out to. Season 3 is when I sit down and focus.

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CO420Tech@reddit

Season 3 rolling into 4 is when it starts to really take off. The effects are better, the storylines are better, the cast is really meshing well, etc.

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Odd_Acanthaceae_9828@reddit

Much, much better

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Worf1701D@reddit

The last 2 episodes of season one are probably the best of the season. I would absolutely recommend watching those. They definitely made some writing changes in season two and beyond. They seemed to realize they should be their own show instead of a continuation of the original series.

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ilDuceVita@reddit

Season one is a dumpster fire garbage trash heap that even the people who made TNG said is "unwatchable." Season two is a step better and more watchable over all. The first episode is a stinker though. It's much more watchable than season one but very uneven. The first truly great episode is in season two, it's one that makes you do THAT'S what this show can be when it wants to!

Season one had a revolving door of writers and may have set a record for number of writers fired/quit in one season. The first two seasons were produced by a notorious asshole who didn't like or get Star Trek, he described it as "whackadoo."

He leaves after season 2, they hire a bunch of talented producers and writers who loved and understood Star Trek and put them in charge. They made several changes to how episodes are structured and written and it clicks almost immediately and stays that way until about season 7

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Fuzzy_Builder_2153@reddit

Season 2 is worse! S1 had the first push. S2 just followedm

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cade_corvus@reddit

Light years.

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The_Latverian@reddit

The Episode where I think it *really* gets going is "The Defector"...there are a few before that that are good, but pretty much everything after The Defector (inclusive) really finds it's feet.

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kidneyboy79@reddit

Stick with it til season 3. Don't skip 2, because then s3 will make it all the more apparent how things get better. There's only so much TNG, even the shitty ones are all we're ever going to get.

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Traditional-Oil-6891@reddit

Much better, but we did get some great moments out of season 1 like UGLY BAGS OF MOSTLY WATER and Skin of Evil event that led to the Tasha Yar death Arc we see in later seasons. In my opinion, I can watch Season 1, but you can mostly read a book while Season 1 plays out and not miss much.

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MarioJinn2@reddit

Start at season 3, then you'll have a reason to go back. Don't burn yourself out

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Sad_Breakfast_Plate@reddit

42.6764% better

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MrDarkHorse@reddit

I’m currently doing a beginning to end watch myself. Long time fan of the show, but I’ve never watched them all back to back. I’m about 3/4ths through Season 2 myself. Season 1 was a hard watch. It’s just SO Bad.

Season 2 is acceptable. I can’t wait to get to Season 3.

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GoTeamLightningbolt@reddit

I tell people to skip to season 4 honestly. It gets way less corny.

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froot_loop_dingus_@reddit

Season 1 is really bad, season is better but still a lot of rough patches. Jump right to season 3

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RedditOfUnusualSize@reddit

Season One is objectively terrible television. Your assessment is absolutely correct; it is a slog to get through in chronological order.

That being said, I can also say objectively that it gets so, so much better. S3-S6 TNG is one of the best, most consistent runs of outstanding television week after week in television history. You could compare the writing to The Sopranos, or The Wire, or Hill Street Blues, and it would stack up. So if you're going to do it in chronological order, hang in there.

If you're looking for hope, the quality curve is basically an exponential function. The back nine episodes of TNG Season One are a lot better than the first set. Season Two is still "meh", but about 80% of the badness of the season is actually in the first and last episodes of the season. Season 2 is very much a reverse-crap sandwich. Then you get to S3, and quickly becomes banger after banger episode. There's like a four episode run in S3 that honestly would be my pick for the single best string of five episodes in any television show, ever. I can't help you with the slog part, aside from saying that you're allowed to skip an episode here and there; no one will blame you if you do. But it's worth it to understand the characters, because it is just astonishing what they'll manage to do with them.

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Jasoco@reddit

So much better. Just finish season 1 off. Thankfully the worst episode is like episode 3 or 4 and you’ve probably passed that one already.

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cidvard@reddit

The step up in general competent TV show is pretty stark from even the beginning of Season 1 to the last few episodes of Season 1 and that continues in Season 2.

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kppeterc15@reddit

Just skip to season 3

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UrguthaForka@reddit

It becomes exponentially better in season 2 onward.

I'd still finish the terrible season 1, as there are a few things in it that come back later... and also, then you can laugh with the rest of us at how terrible season 1 is.

Some people here are saying to skip season 2, but I wouldn't. S2 has its rough spots, but its nowhere near as bad as 1. And s2 has some truly stellar episodes as well.

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