Episode 23 - The Next Generation Season 1

Boldly going where no one in 1987 was really sure they wanted to go - 100 years into the future - Paramount greenlit Star Trek: The Next Generation. And a seed was planted. Join us as we talk about the behind the scenes work that eventually led to one of the most iconic of Star Trek series' and heralded the rebirth of Gene Rodenberry's vision of the future - ready to go for a new generation (your hosts' generation, as it turned out). We also discuss the characters, episodes, and issues that cropped up repeatedly in the first season, as well as the bones of the show that we grew to love and idolize.

Episode Sponsor: CubeSpace - it's time to build your online presence!

Bicks Log: What are the things in Season 1 that the show messed up the worst, but was corrected over the course of the show?

Notes:

• As a reminder, this was recorded before Picard Season 3, so there may be some odd references
  • Sadly "Crusher is a mom" has remained extremely true
• Aidan had this large (for a child) version of the mini phaser used frequently in the first few seasons
• He also had the rounded tip version of the fuller handheld phaser, though he can't find any photos so he might be imagining that
• Lindsay had the more ubiquitous and cool-looking pointed-tip phaser
• Chaos on the Bridge is the Shatner-hosted documentary that provides a great insight into the crazy ship that was TNG Seasons 1 & 2
• For clarity's sake around syndication: the local station would sell 5 minutes of local advertising per episode, and Paramount got the money from 7 minutes of national advertisements
• The UK didn't receive any TNG until September 26, 1990, three years after "Encounter at Farpoint" first aired in the United States
• "You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel."
• Other videos to learn more about Season 1 include:
  • Rowan J. Coleman's Retrospective Part 8: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB08m-d1hhc&ab_channel=RowanJColeman 
  • Was TNG Season 1 Really That Bad?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPGSKOIu1dI&ab_channel=OrangeRiver
• Twin Peaks actors appearing this season:
  • Brenda Strong
  • Carel Struycken
  • Robert Knepper