Star Trek: The Next Generation
- The Complete First Season

In television, lightning rarely strikes twice. But, a long time ago, in a very different era of TV land, there was a show called Star Trek. No series in history has spawned more of a cult following than this short-lived tale about going "where no man has gone before." Star Trek was cancelled after 3 seasons, but grew a ravenous legion of fans once put in syndication in the 70's. Eventually, the obvious demand for fresh entertainment from this universe spawned several films through the 80's. But was the demand strong enough for a weekly show? A show set 70 years after the original? A show with a balding French captain and a Klingon as a good guy? The answer was an
affirmative YES! Star Trek: The Next Generation not only proved that
lightning struck twice, it struck many times and spawned three more successful television series and four feature films.

TNG, as it is lovingly referred to by fans, premiered the week of September 28, 1987 in first – run syndication. It had a rocky start, not being part of a regular television station's programming, but the first season of TNG was a success and introduced fans to a fresh and bold vision of the "final frontier." The differences between the old and the new were vast. First and foremost, the new captain, Jean Luc Picard played by Patrick Stewart, was not a swaggering, sex-crazed buckaroo like William Shatner's Captain Kirk. Instead we had more of a calm, diplomatic leader of a community, as the new U.S.S. Enterprise was composed of 1000+ people, many of whom were families of the crew.

The Enterprise itself was also top of the line of starships at this point in Star Trek history, roughly set 70 years after the original. A bevy of new technologies tickled the imaginations of fans, none more so than the amazing Holodeck, a training and recreation room where one could literally create anything desired. Replicators provided any form of food or drink in the galaxy, and ergonomically and quite efficiently, the famed communicator was redesigned as a rather hip piece of chest jewelry. One can only imagine the tennis elbow the actors developed after seven years of slapping their pectorals, desperate for a quick beam out.

The differences between the old and new Star Trek series were not only technological but cultural and sociological as well. This crew of the Enterprise was much different than that of the original, with characteristics among each that provided wonderful storytelling potential. Picard's "Number One," William Riker, portrayed by
Jonathan Frakes, was perhaps the least of a departure from form, but the rest of the crew personified the more liberal tone of this version of Gene Roddenberry's universe. LeVar Burton, as Geordi LaForge, was not only African American, but also

blind. Like Nichelle Nichol's character before him, his race was never made an issue, but his handicap was also treated as less of a burden and more of a distinctive part of his identity.

Denise Crosby brought a strong and bold presence in the role of Tasha Yar, the female security chief and tactical officer. She was tough, but still retained her femininity, proving that in the future women could be tough as nails, but still care if they get cracked.

While on the subject of females in prominent positions, it would be difficult to overlook Deanna Troi, the empathic Betazoid that shared a seat beside the captain. Her power of sensing the emotions of others made her the perfect ship's counselor and advisor to the captain. Ronald D Moore, one of the show's writers and producers, said once that the character, played by Marina Sirtis, would be the thing that stood out most about this show, created in the 1980's. Therapy and counseling were increasing fads, and in the future it would be so big that a therapist would be next to the captain, on the bridge, at all times.

Below decks, in Sickbay, Dr. Beverly Crusher reigned supreme as the Chief Medical Officer of the Enterprise. Former NYU Professor, Gates McFadden played the red-headed doc and her relationship to the Captain would be one of fan intrigue for the whole run of the show. Wil Wheaton played her son, Wesley, the ever-eager teenager and prodigy who dreamed of being a Starfleet Officer…and possibly meeting girls, though fairly unsuccessful.

These new crewmen were definitely new takes on old concepts, but none so much as Lieutenant Worf and Lieutenant Commander Data. Worf, played by Michael Dorn, was a Klingon, and in this time in Trek history, humanity had made peace with its old enemies, the Klingon Empire. The Klingons were, in the original series, a metaphor for the USSR, and after years of conflict and mistrust they finally decided to embrace their former enemies as allies. This dynamic and Worf's presence was meant to show the hope of peace among the American and Soviet powers.
Coincidentally, two years after the launch of TNG, the Berlin Wall would collapse and this particular Star Trek prophecy would come to fruition.

Brent Spiner's Lieutenant Commander Data, is arguably one of the most
interesting characters ever created on Star Trek and in television for that matter. Data, an android, was discovered by Starfleet many years ago, and now in the service, works alongside human beings, but always an outsider as he is incapable of experience emotion. Spiner's interpretation of the character gave us a child-like fascination into
the facets of humanity, why we behave the way we do, why we feel love and pain, and how we react to each and every situation with the complexities of deep emotional feeling. Data would become, like

many of the other characters, a fan favorite, and in the tradition of Leonard Nimoy, stood out as "the other" amongst the crew, always on
the outside looking in, but teaching each and everyone more than they could ever know from looking at themselves.

In this first season, the crew of the Enterprise warp to new and fascinating worlds, face their darkest fears, uncover conspiracies, embrace differences and commonalities, and lay down the framework for a story that would produce seven years of consummate entertainment.

This boxed – set contains all 25 episodes from the first season, amongst them the pilot, "Encounter at Farpoint", where Picard first meets the malevolent "Q", played by John de Lancie. Q's "trial of humanity" is the first real test for our heroes, who must prove that we have evolved beyond barbarism and destruction. "The Last Outpost" introduces a race of villainous aliens, the Ferengi, who care for
nothing but profit. In this episode, Armin Shimmerman plays the first
Ferengi, but would also later portray Quark, the Ferengi bartender on
Space Station Deep Space Nine. The wonders of the holodeck are explored in the detective mystery "The Big Goodbye" and "11001001", where the Enterprise is hijacked by aliens that can only communicate in binary code. The discovery of Data's evil brother Lore (also played by Spiner), in "Datalore" sets up a chain of events that will pit Data against his very much "emotional" alter ego throughout the
seven year run. In "Symbiosis", the relationship between drug addict
and supplier is shown to be much more complicated than is often believed. While they may be our friends in this century, a small band of Klingons make trouble for the Enterprise in "Heart of Glory", and tempt Worf to leave and rejoin his people. A loved member of the crew is slain in the "Skin of Evil", and a dark subterfuge is revealed in "Conspiracy", an infamous episode once banned by the BBC for its "gory" ending. Closing out the season is "The Neutral Zone" where old enemies from the original series, the Romulans, return to the intergalactic playing field with the declaration "We are back!". Back indeed, for the Romulans will prove to be a continuing threat to the Enterprise and the entire Federation for some time.

The bonus features of the set are pretty interesting, with "The Beginning", an in-depth look at the birth of the show, from conception to production. The feature "Selected Crew Analysis" has many interviews old and new with the actors discussing their roles. The production staff looks back on the first year in new interviews
in the feature "Making of a Legend", and the season is summed-up in key events and episodes in "Memorable Missions." The episodes have optional Dolby Digital English 5.1 or English 2.0 and English subtitles. There are 7 discs in the set and it

comes with a companion booklet with a crew montage.

A truly great start to a great show, the first season of TNG proved that Star Trek was a tale that was far from told, and with six more seasons and 151 episodes to go, this first season boxed – set is sure to get any fan or newcomer off to a good start!

Season Grade: A

DVD Features Grade: B+

Overall Grade: A-