I want to say that I love just about everything about the Next Generation, but I have to admit that I have some problems with different parts of the show at different times. It's just natural that over a seven-year span that something is going to rub you the wrong way. What I discovered is that most of my issues occurred in the early seasons or with specific characters, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Here are a few stories I didn't like at all. (Well, not completely at least.)
That episode where Tasha fights not to get married
Season One was a bit rough, not because the show didn't have everything that it needed, but because everyone was trying to force the Next Generation into the mold of the Original Series. Sometimes those attempts were good, like in the Naked Time, but other times, it was just horrible. Take this episode as an example.In Code of Honor, we encounter a civilization that is a combination of matriarchal and patriarchal. The women hold the power, but it is the men that control the power of their wives once they are married. The Enterprise is at this planet because it is the only source of a medicine needed for a medical emergency and Picard needs to negotiate the agreement.
The man who controls most of the power on the planet notices Tasha and decides that he wants to marry her. His Number-One-Wife does not like this idea and challenges Tasha to a battle to the death in an overly complicated contraption and goofy looking blades for their hands.
This is one of the First-Season episodes where it feels like they are trying to make Tasha seem sexy, but they are doing it all wrong. That may be part of the reason that Denise left the show when she did.
That episode where the writers don't know the enemy yet
It's a new show, and you need to have new enemies, right? The Klingons are allies, and you can only do so many episodes with the Romulans before everyone gets annoyed with them. You need some variety. Enter the Ferengi.I love the Ferengi, especially when they get a strong development in Deep Space Nine, but watching this episode, you can tell that the writers had no plan for them. Let's imagine the planning meeting:
A: We should have a fight episode.
B: Like where the crew gets trapped on a planet and have to fight for their lives?
A: Exactly. They can fight these guys we'll call the Ferengi.
B: That's an intimidating name. They'll have lots of makeup right?
A: I'm imagining big ears. "The better to hear you with, my dear."
B: Dangerous warriors-we can give them some strange weapons, like laser whips.
A: I like it. Let's give them sharp teeth like wolves too.
B: So what do they want?
A: I don't know. Let's figure that out later.
B: Works for me.
That episode where Doctor Pulaski treats Data wrong
If there's one character that completely annoys me, it is Doctor Pulaski. She is insensitive, and arrogant. I especially cant stand the way that she treats Data. Didn't we have enough stories where Data's "humanity" was called into question without having a main character that treats him like a high-tech toaster every time she crosses paths with him?In Elementary, Dear Data, the doctor decides that Data can't have any original thoughts. He just puts together his previous experiences in order to make decisions. (Which sounds very similar to what most people do in similar situation.) Since Data and Geordi are running a Sherlock Holmes holodeck program, she challenges Data to solve an original mystery.
This leads to some other problems after Geordi orders the computer to do anything it needs to do in order to create an oponent capable of defeating Data, but we'll talk more about that later when I talk about the reasons why I love this episode.
That episode where Picard has to accept that he used to be a kid
X-babies are awesome, I don't even mind Baby Avengers, but the idea can go too far pretty quickly. Take Rascals as an example. Who was clamoring for the crew of the Enterprise to get age regressed? Do we really need a story where Picard has a reason to hate himself because he's become a kid again?I also object to the choice of crew members for this episode. I'm sure there was a logical reason to make those choices, but Picard, Guinan, Ensign Ro, and Keiko just don't seem like the best choices (aside from Picard.) I know they were trying to include Ro Laren more to give her character more exposure, and maybe Whoopie had to be on the set of one of her films, but beyond that, I just don't understand it.
The episode didn't do anything for the show, and it just got in the way of a much better story.
Those are my picks for the worst stories of the Next Generation, but you might prefer to put down some others. Leave a comment if you have any.
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