Star Trek Primer Vol. 3

Alright, I've tried to write this primer for Star Trek: The Next Generation several times now and its really fucking hard because it's deceptively complex show. To borrow a phrase "It's shallow where you expect it to be deep and deep where you expect it to be shallow." One reviewer referred to it as "young Republicans in space" and there is certainly some truth to it, but at other times the characters are socialist hedonists just going around making peace, doing science experiments, and finding out what the local genitalia looks like... most especially with Riker who replaced Kirk as the all-American skirt-chaser on the new Enterprise-D.

Regan Era TV/Brain Programing

Now I'm going to have to pull you back in time to 1987. It was a very different world than the world of 1966 when the original series debuted. The Regan administration had pushed for wholesome values in television. TV could be a whole lot preachier (but on the other hand, it was far less disgustiing). Furthermore, the movement to teach morality to the young wasn't just dominated by the right wing. Many children of the sixties were now working in entertainment for young people. For every GI Joe "and knowing is half the battle" there was a Captain Planet eco-message (technically Bush era, but still).

Science fiction was still considered entertainment for children (as opposed to now when entertainment treats adults like children), but like the previous Star Trek, it dealt with complex themes, usually ethical in nature. Picking up on ideas from the original series, The Next Generation really defined the philosophy of Starfleet by constantly talking about the Prime Directive. Referred to by Star Wars fans as "that thing that keeps them from kicking ass," the Prime Directive is a blunt and often cruel moral imperative which says you should never interfere in the development of an alien culture! Even with the best of intentions, the possibility of causing lasting, long-term damage is too great. Essentially, Roddenberry was imagining a United Nations with a truly anti-colonial policy... something which, in my opinion, has yet to be realized.

But at times, the show feels a little bit like when parents go to an elementary school open house. Characters often explain things in the simplest of terms which can either be very wise, very patronizing, or overly simplistic, depending on your point of view. A lot of the dialog, particularly in the early episode, is written to explain certain adult concepts to children like why people do drugs, how people can destroy their own environment, or even how boys are different from girls, but at its best, the intellectual content of the show is extremely philosophical, usually utilizing Socratic dialectic to synthesize two conflicting views.

An Atheist Socialist Utopia

Most interesting to me is the subtext of the show. Again present in the original series and consistant with Gene Roddenberry's vision, never does this show make any mention to human religion or religious holidays. Many alien races like the Vulcans and the Klingons have religions and the humans, overwhelmingly, respect their beliefs, but still the depiction is clearly of an atheist future.

In addition, this is a future which has no money. The motivation in life comes from (believe it or not) living well. Consistently, it is taught, the value of life is in self-improvement and in the improvement of others. Greed is no longer a motivating factor. The needs of all the people are given priority over any individual. Some people think this is an impossible fantasy. Usually those are the same people who believe that a utopia awaits them in the next life as long as they don't let people enjoy themselves in this one.

The Cast/Crew

Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart)

A huge change from the daring young lothario of Kirk, the new USS Enterprise is commanded by a bald Frenchman with an English accent. In my opinion, this show wouldn't have made it three seasons without Patrick Stewart. One thing Picard made clear in the first episode is that he doesn't get along well with children, but to a child with a decent imagination, he was a great role model and surrogate father figure. He added so much confidence and believability to even the most outlandish situation. Never did Mr. Stewart give a mediocre performance whether the material was good or not. Not that he doesn't have some competition, but he may have been the greatest actor to grace this series.

Lt. Cmd. Data (Brent Spiner)

If any other actor deserves credit for making this show incredible, its Brent Spiner. He took the idea of a science fiction Pinnochio and gave it a level of humanity that I doubt the creators ever expected. Data was a one of a kind android with physical and mental capabilities far surpassing any organic being, but because he was unable to experience emotion, he desperately wanted to become human. It was basically a backward look at the Spock paradigm. Where Spock suppressed his humanity, Data actively tried to develop his by practicing art, music, acting, playing games... even having sex. In watching him try to find his humanity, it forces us to question what it means to be human.

Again, I have to stress that Brent Spiner is brilliant in his portrayal. You would think watching an emotionless being would be boring, but because Data is trying to be human, he is constantly making mistakes. At the same time, as an outsider to the human condition, he can often be far wiser and more objective than his emotionally charged companions. The result is like a child genius with the strength of a truck and a sense of morality as consistent and selfless as the Prime Directive itself.

Cmd. William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes)

Fearing that Picard would not be appreciated by fans, Roddenberry placed a more familiar, brash, and seductive young man in the secondary position on the ship. Roddenberry himself said that when he saw Frakes, he hired him because he has the eyes of a megalomaniac, which Roddenberry appreciated because he did as well. Riker was always insistent that he lead away missions, believing that the captain should be in command of the ship at all times. This set the stage for a much more responsible ship than Kirk's lazaise faire style. As an homage to the original series pilot, Picard often referred to Riker as "Number One."

Lt. Cmd. Deanna Troi (Mirina Sirtis)

On the bridge, next to the captain's chair sat two other smaller chairs. On the left was the first officer's; on the right sat (believe it or not), the ship's counsellor's. As someone once pointed out, only in the eighties. Deanna Troi was named in reference to Helen of Troy and the script often treated her the same, but the character was so annoying, overacting every emotion she felt.

Troi had previously had a very intense relationship with Riker and the story carried a "will they/won't they" tension that ultimately fizzled out. This was a common theme in the post-Cheers era of Sam and Diane. I might have enjoyed their story arc a lot more if they had gotten together earlier because the two make a lot of sense as a couple.

Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden)

Far from the folksy Dr. McCoy, Dr. Beverly Crusher was the mother figure to Picard's father figure. As such, there was another "will they/won't they" relationship between the two. Because the captain was best friends with the doctor's late husband, he never follows through on his feelings. Her son, who lives on the ship, is a constant reminder of their unusual situation. Ultimately, nothing ever came of this which again is a shame because they had really good chemistry.

Sidenote: The show was criticized by some for having the two main female characters in more "maternal" roles. While I think this is a fair critique of the show in general, I don't believe this was intentional. In fact, the show originally featured a woman in charge of security on the Enterprise, but more on that later.

Lt. Cmd. Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton)

Many children gravitated to this series because of LeVar Burton of Reading Rainbow. La Forge was blind from birth and given a visor which allowed him to see a wide range in the energy field, but does not give him the ability to see the way others can see. Unfortunately, the character, while likeable, is pretty bland. He is so bland that any time he gets bored, he plays music. The computer asks him what kind, he thinks, and chooses something latin. Its a painful routine to watch. Additionally, La Forge is a complete failure with the ladies. It is truly embarrassing at times. He makes a good engineer, but he isn't nearly as interesting as Scotty.

Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn)

At the last minute, a Klingon was added to the bridge of the Enterprise. His name was Worf, he had bad hair, and he was angry. An orphan raised by humans in Russia, Worf tried to explore his roots from afar making him a much more serious, orthodox Klingon than most, but his loyalty was to the Federation. Worf defines himself by his sense of honor. Once Worf accuses Picard of manipulating him by his honor, Picard retorts that his problem is that he really is an honorable man and Picard is just reminding him what's right. Worf is the Wolverine of the Star Trek world: the honorable, savage badass.

The Rest

Unlike the original series, Next Generation lasted seven seasons so naturally more characters were introduced and brought back repetedly. What follows are some of the more notable ones.

Wesley Crusher (Will Wheaton)

Oh, Wes, Wes, Wes. Wesley Crusher was (and still is) hated by most of the fans. It's a shame because this character was so personal to creator Gene Wesley Roddenberry. Essentially, he was inserting himself into the narrative, but as a child prodigy. Originally, the intention was for Wesley to be the illegitimate son of Picard and Dr. Crusher, but since this would make unseemly suggestions of Picard, the idea was abandoned. Personally, I think Next Generation held the stories back too often instead of really letting the characters tell their own stories, but fortunately good acting can often compensate for that. Wesley was known for coming up with the non-sensical plot device which saves the day, ultimately making the older characters look foolish, so when the character was eventually sent to Starfleet Academy, fans were much happier.

Lt. Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby)

Before Worf took her job, Tasha Yar was the tough as nails head of security who cames from a harsh world where she was rescued by Starfleet. She was close friends with the much more feminine Troi. Interestingly, the two actresses originally auditioned for each other's roles and were swapped in the casting process. Consequently, I like to wonder how things would have been. However, Yar was killed in the first season, although the writer's found clever ways to bring the actress back for future episodes. Little known fact, Denise Crosby is the granddaughter of the great crooner Bing Crosby.

Dr. Katherine Pulanski (Diana Muldaur)

In season two, Gates McFadden left the show and was replaced by the older and more arrogant Dr. Katherine Pulanski. Pulanski was basically an attempt to do a female version of McCoy. Pulanski was often treating Data like an normal machine which didn't help her reputation amongst fans who adored Data. In season three, Dr. Crusher returned and Dr. Pulanski was quickly forgotten.

Chief Petty Officer Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney)

Another of the best actors to grace Star Trek was initially given one of its smallest roles, but he consistantly delivered such a great performance that they kept writing him into scripts. Miles O'Brien is one of very, very few enlisted men ever mentioned in Starfleet and he is in charge of the transporters. It is a small role, but like Patrick Stewart, Colm Meaney refuses to phone it in. You may recognize him from just about any Irish movie ever. O'Brien is another of Star Trek's few known racists. O'Brien enlisted to help fight the war with the Cardassians and the experience deeply scarred him. O'Brien is the everyman on a ship of ideal people, but in many ways represents the noblest of us.

Guinan (Whoopie Goldberg)

In the second season, the show received a huge boost from the addition of Whoopie Goldberg at the height of her career after winning an Academy Award for her performance in The Color Purple. Goldberg plays Guinan, the enigmatic bartender who plays host in the ship's lounge, Ten-Forward. Here we see the crew relax and let their guard down as Guinan guides them through their problems. In my opinion, this show represents some of her best work.

Q (John DeLancie)

Like Superman's Mr. Mxyzptlk or Fred Flintstone's the Great Gazoo, the Enterprise had it's own all-powerful, mischevous imp and his name is Q. John DeLancie throws himself into the role with playful abandon acting mostly as a pest, but often demonstrating a degree of friendship like he just came by to play with his friends. The great thing about Q is that, as a comedic and almost magical creature, there is no telling what he is going to say or do at any moment.

The Episodes

As I said before, the original series lasted only three seasons while Next Generation lasted for seven, setting the record for a science fiction series (although that record was soon smashed by The X-Files). As a result, it is more difficult to pick out a few great episodes because there were far too many... but I'll try to keep it under twenty.

The Naked Now

Taking a page from the original series, The Next Generation's second episode features the Enterprise-D encountering the same virus that struck the original Enterprise in The Naked Time. As result, we get to see the new crew drunk from Wesley taking over the ship to Picard and Dr. Crusher flirting and Tasha Yar getting it on with Data. A great introduction episode.

Elementary, Dear Data

The biggest addition to the new Enterprise was the Holodeck, a room which could generate complex holograms with sound, texture, and even scent and taste. Basically, you can create any fantasy environment and live in fictional stories. The device replaced some of the more rediculous time travel-ish stories from the original series. In this episode, Data takes on the role of Sherlock Holmes, but due to a programming error, his opponent, Dr. Moriarty becomes a sentient being with intellect to rival Data's. When Moriarty takes over the ship, Picard must travel to the holographic 19th century London to negotiate with the fictional villain.

The Measure of a Man

When an engineer comes to the Enterprise to dismantle Data in an attempt to recreate him, the question arises of what are his rights. This is the perfect Star Trek morality tale that not only asks what the meaning of human is, but looks at the criteria by which we establish rights. Star Trek, at its core, is a show which acts as a philosophical mirror by questioning our preconceived notions. The ending of the episode is even more poignant with the wisdom of Data which reminds us what we have to learn from those who are different from us.

Q Who?

After the initial villains of the series, the Ferengi, failed to interest the fans, a new villain was introduced with the return of Q who flings the Enterprise to the far side of the galaxy to show them what is waiting for them out there. It is there that they encounter the Borg, cybernetic lifeforms which wipe out entire planets, races, and societies and add them to their collective, like a computer virus with a mechanical component. They can't be reasoned with and they are so advanced that you can never attack them with the same weapon twice. They will develop a defense.

Deja Q

Q returns, as the title clearly indicates, but this time he claims to be human after being punished by his own kind for his arrogance. The crew refuse to believe him, thinking this is all another trick, but Data, approaching the matter objectively, treats Q as if it is true and teaches him all he has learned about being human. Q's distain for humanit counters well with Data's admiration and this episode is worth watching for the ending alone which is very... infectuous.

Yesterday's Enterprise

Similar to the original series episode Mirror Mirror, the narrative finds itself in an alternate universe when the Enterprise-D encounters its predessor, the long-lost Enterprise-C, believed to have been destroyed protecting a damaged Klingon ships from the Romulans. Pulled from its appropriate time, history has changed making the Enterprise a warship at war with the Klingon Empire. Denise Crosby returns to her role as Tasha Yar delivering a special treat for the fans.

Hollow Pursuits

My favorite character in TNG appears in only a handful of episodes. His name is Lt. Barclay and he just doesn't know how to fit in. He spends most of his time in the holodeck, he's late for work all the time, never volunteers, and can't socialize... but once you get past that, he is a great, intelligent guy who has a lot of trouble expressing himself. This is one of many episodes that show that even a utopia would have plenty of problems for us to overcome.

Sarek

Reprising his role from the original series, Mark Lenard arrives as Vulcan Ambassador Sarek with his latest wife, also a human. It is soon revealed that Sarek possesses a debilitating Vulcan disease which inhibits his ability to suppress his emotions, which are far more powerful than the average human's. In order to help Sarek gain the stability he needs in upcoming peace talks, Picard agrees to a mind-meld, taking upon the full weight of Sarek's emotions and tying him very personally to the character.

The Best of Both Worlds

The Borg finally arrive at the end of season three as a single Borg ship quickly heads toward the Earth. Not only are the Enterprise's attempts to stop it futile, but the Borg capture an assimilate Picard making him their voice and using his knowledge of Federation tactics against the Federation. The single cube manages to take out nearly the entire Federation fleet. Desperately, the Enterprise, under Riker's command, engages in a rescue operation which holds the key to defeating the Borg. This was TNG's turning point toward greatness.

Family

Directly following Best of Both World, the Enterprise returns to Earth for refit and the crew takes the opportunity to visit their family. Picard returns to his father's vineyard in France to spend time with his arrogant, bully of a brother and the nephew he hardly knows. Of all the episodes of this series, this was my favorite performance by Patrick Stewart and it really reveals the way a man of his character faces an overwhelming trauma.

Darmok

This episode is used in linguistic classes to illustrate the difficulty of talking to people with a different language and culture. Picard is stranded on a planet with an alien he can't communicate with that same to want to have a duel of honor with him. Picard refuses and the two must find a way to overcome their language barrier. The title of the episode is "comrad" backwards suggesting the difficulty of communicating across the Iron Curtain.

Unification

Following the death of Sarek, Picard must investigate the defection of his son, Spock, to the Romulan Empire. After investigating, they come to discover Spock fascilitating talks to unify the Vulcan and Romulan people into one while avoiding the totalitarian Romulan government. This episode places Picard, Spock, and Data together and they make an interesting combination, as similar as they are different.

The Outcast

The closest TNG comes to an episode about being gay is this one. The Enterprise meets a hermaphroditic species who have a cultural taboo against gender. Soren, one of the native scientists, is fascinated by gender and tries to learn what she can. In time, Soren reveals to Riker that it considers itself female and in there culture, this is considered a brain disorder that must be fixed. She and Riker soon find themselves in a romantic relationship, exposing her gender identification to her people. After her trial, she is corrected and the episode ends on an uncommon negative note.

The Inner Light

Picard lives an entire life as a humble scientist in a small alien village in this episode. It's hard to describe the appeal, but we see the Picard who could have been. Despite his attitude toward children, Picard was often defined by his sense of family and the importance of having a family legacy. This not only gave him a chance to do that, but also to live as part of a simpler alien culture. The life that could have been.

Chain of Command

The episode that won awards for its realistic portrayal of prisoner torture, this is one episode more people should probably watch right about now. Picard is sent on a secret mission where he is tricked and abducted for military information. We see Picard struggle to hold on to his sanity when subjected to cruel humiliation along with food and sleep deprivation.

Tapestry

In this episode, Q gives us a glimpse into Picard's past when he was a cocky, womanizing cadet by giving him a chance to save his own life by undoing an old mistake that left him with an artificial heart. In a way, Q plays Clarence in Picard's It's A Wonderful Life and Picard learns a lesson about accepting and even embracing his flaws.

The Chase

Finally, TNG gives us an explanation on why their aliens all look so similar when Picard races against the other major aliens on an archeological discovery of great importance. Its appropriate that in a series that questioned what it means to be human, we finally learn what it means to be sentient in the Star Trek universe.

The Movies

Immediately follow the success of the show, the cast went into production on a series of films starting with Star Trek: Generations. In my opinion, none of them were truly great. While the previous Star Trek films got to look back and analyze the original content from a fresh perspective, the creators on most of these films were the same as in the show and most of what worked didn't seem to translate well to the blockbuster anticipation.

Star Trek: Generations

Rather than making a carefully thought out film expressing the strongest themes of the series, the producers of this film seem to have taken the plot of a fanfic and thrown Malcolm McDowell in the role of the villain. In this film, we see Captain Kirk meet Captain Picard through a very awkward time-travel device. Some of the film's B-plots are far better like Data's use of an emotion chip which enables him to experience emotions for the first time. In this movie, we see the destruction of the Enterprise-D enabling them to make a brand new ship for the next film. Also, Kirk dies, but I like to imagine that he died in a dignified story instead.

Star Trek: First Contact

First Contact is by far the fan favorite of the TNG movies because it sees the return of the Borg who travel back in time to stop humans from inventing warp drive and making first contact with an alien race, the first step in forming the Federation. The Enterprise travels back in time to stop them, but they arrive to discover the damage has already been done. As an Away Team beams down to keep history on track, the Borg beam aboard the Enterprise and begin to assimilate the ship. Picard starts to be consumed by his need for revenge on the Borg while Data is literally seduced by the pleasures of the flesh and sensations to match his new emotions.

Star Trek: Insurrection

Personally, this is my favorite of the TNG movies, although its not without its flaws. On a planet with a few small colonies of peaceful indigenous people, Data gets damaged and attacks the Starfleet observers studying the planet. The Enterprise goes to investigate only to discover the planet is a natural fountain of youth and elements within Starfleet are seeking to discretely relocate the natives to harness its power. Essentially, it is similar to Western expansion and the belief that the superior white man could utilize the lands that the natives were "wasting." This episode also provides some fun moments as we see the crew embracing their youth.

Star Trek: Nemesis

This is the other Star Trek movie I don't own and cannot bring myself to buy. It may be the worst movie I have ever seen, next to Batman & Robin. It is a clumsy story that fails on pretty much every level. The plot revolves around Shinzon, a clone of Picard created by Romulans, who manages to take over the Romulan Empire in a coup d'etat. Unfortunately, all the clone inherits from him is his accent and his baldness, both of which makes no sense. Character depictions ignore pretty much all of established continuity just as the action ignores most of physics. The series tries to give a message that its moving forward, but half of the statements they make are undermined by the usual "play it safe," "have your cake and eat it too" mentality. At one point, even the Picard starts tearing apart the scenery like starships are made of cardboard. It was sad that while the original series went out with a bang, Next Generation went out with a whimper.

Next

The ideals of the Star Trek world are challenged to the breaking point when a new crew stops flying around the galaxy and sets roots in the middle of a long-term conflict at the hostile end of space. If the original series was a wagon train to the stars, Deep Space Nine was an outpost on the frontier.

Bonus!