Welcome to the first of many, many, many reviews of Star Trek: The Next Generation. And I do mean many. The show ran for 7 seasons, and each season is a few episodes longer than the conventional 22 episode network run (fitting, since the show is by many estimates the most successful first run syndication show of all time, meaning it did not debut on a particular network like NBC but rather sold the rights to individual stations). So we’re locked into this for the long haul, like denizens aboard the Star Ship Enterprise on a particularly lengthy voyage. In the future my plan is to put up a review of two episodes per week, usually on Fridays. Today I am reviewing the first episode, which is a two parter. First, a little background. Or rather, lack thereof, because, true confessions, I have had very little exposure to Star Trek in my life. It just was not a thing growing up in my household, where we did not watch much TV. And yes, like your boy JJ Abrams, I was more of a Star Wars kid. I’ve seen parts of scattered episodes of The Next Generation, but none of the original or subsequent series. I’ve seen a few of the movies, but not the famous one. My favorite’s the one with the whales, if that tells you anything. I do like Galaxy Quest and the documentary Trekkies. And one time I read the world’s greatest X-Men/TNG crossover novel. I guess you could say I have more experience mocking Star Trek than watching it. So this will be a new experience for me, but one I am quite excited about. Despite my lack of experience, I’ve always been intrigued by the Star Trek universe, and TNG in particular has had a pull on me, not least of all because of the presence of one Sir Patrick Stewart.
In case you were waiting for it, here’s the part of the review where I say SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER in a portentous voice. And that’s it.
TV pilots present an enormously tricky task for those involved. You have to introduce a whole world in a way that will lay the groundwork for what’s to come while still presenting enough stand alone material to grab the audience’s attention and make them want to see more. In some ways TNG has it easier than most shows, seeing how it follows in the footsteps of an already beloved TV show. At the same time, the burden of expectations associated with such a heritage puts a lot of pressure on the show to at once stay true to its roots and also avoid repetition, expanding the world in new directions. Since I have not seen the original series, I cannot answer the question of where TNG falls on the Star Trek continuum (though it does feature a surprise cameo from DeForest Kelley AKA Bones McCoy). As a stand alone introduction to a new world and characters, though, I think “Encounter at Farpoint” does a good, though not flawless, job.
The “first day on the job” is a common scenario for pilots, as it serves to introduce audiences to a new situation alongside characters experiencing similar butterflies of newness (see Newsradio and 30 Rock for examples of this). For Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) this experience is especially daunting, as he takes up the reigns as captain of Starfleet’s ship The Enterprise. He and his crew are on their way to Farpoint, a planet where they hope to engage in negotiations with a local leader named Zorn, who seems eager to provide a space station for Starfleet. On their way, however, they encounter a strange force which stops them in their tracks. A mysterious being known as Q, who appears in the human form of John de Lancie but is in fact of a much more alien nature, comes aboard the ship and threatens them, saying that the universe cannot abide the further encroachments of a race as belligerent as humans. He subsequently puts Picard on trial for all the crimes of humanity.
Having done my research, I know that Q remains a factor throughout the series. He pops up periodically to test or challenge the Enterprise, and while not quite a villain (categories like that don’t really apply to a god-like being), he is certainly a force to be reckoned with. I find it interesting and somewhat daring that the show chooses to introduce an overarching antagonist in the first episode, especially outside the context of serialized storytelling (that is to say, most episodes are “stand alones” which do not tie directly into other episodes). It’s not like the first season builds toward some big battle with Q – he’s just a presence that pops up from time to time in the random way associated with district managers and deities. At the same time, he provides an excuse for probing one of the big themes of all Star Trek works: the place of humans in the universe, and the need for cooperation and tolerance in order for mankind to progress. Keep tabs on that theme, my friends, as I’m sure I’ll return to it again and again: as you may know, I am a staunch cynic with regards to the idea of “progress”, so I’m sure I’ll have a lot to say as the show explores the theme. Hopefully in the future it won’t be quite as ham handed as it is here, with Q bringing up national conflicts and religious wars as proof of the past small mindedness of humanity.
The whole Q business also creates real structural problems for the episode. After a “getting to know you” opening, the episode essentially grinds to a halt for Picard, his crew, and the audience to endure a seemingly interminable trial scene. For some reason Q (whose appearance changes depending on the persona he wants to adopt) chooses to set the trial in… I think it’s the Dark Ages that came after nuclear war but before Starfleet? Or something? Really it looks like Genghis Khan’s Mongolia more than anything, complete with tribal men with evil whiskers chanting for the death of our intrepid space explorers. There’s lots of hand wringing over humanity, Q scowling, and more talk of trial procedure than anyone wants, ever. It’s like a film version of Robert’s Rules of Order.
This scene is such a slog that we don’t even meet a few of the main characters until halfway through the 90 minute running time! It’s a time honored tradition to introduce characters one by one for maximum impact (whatever its flaws, Abrams’ Star Trek reboot did a masterful job of this), but who wants to wait 45 minutes before meeting First Officer William Riker (Jonathan Frakes)? Stuck on Farpoint waiting to rendezvous with his new captain, the intrepid first office detects something not quite right with the new star station, so he sets out to investigate. Though he and Picard spend most of the episode apart, Riker is clearly set up as a balance to the calm, collected captain. Made more in the mold of Captain Kirk, Riker is a dashing, hotheaded hero type. Call him fire to Picard’s ice. This means balance, yes, but also tension between the two. I’m interested to see how this plays out through the series. By the end of the episode the two seem to have gained a mutual respect for each other, but surely their differences will come to a head at some point.
Oh yeah, back to the plot. Something something, Q releases Picard to give him one chance to prove that humans are good, they explore Farpoint and discover a sinister plot: the new space station is actually a giant space jellyfish being held captive by Zorn and his people! Oh NO! So, yeah, not the strongest plot ever, and more than a little ridiculous.
But let’s focus on the positives. First off, the cast. What a cast it is. I don’t need to explain to you the depths of my man crush on Sir Patrick Stewart – one look into his eyes is explanation enough. So far I’m also a fan of Brent Spiner as the lovable android-who-wants-to-be-human Data, and of Frakes as Riker. And of course LeVar “TakealookitsinabookexceptIcantreallybecauseIhavenovisionjusttheseheatsensorsorwhatever” Burton as Geordi LaForge. I’m less sold on Denise Crosby as Security Officer Tasha Yar, but (SPOILER ALERT) she’ll be gone after the first season. More problematic so far is Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi, the ship’s counselor who can “read emotions.” I’m not sure if it is the performance (which features a weird, distracting accent) or the role itself that I’m less keen on at this point, but it is not working for me. Hopefully that will change as the series goes on.
One last note for now. I went in expecting some pretty terrible special effects. Given that this episode aired in 1987, there definitely was some of that going on. Cheesy graphics and the like. What impressed me, though, was the depth of detail in the set design. Lots of thought and care clearly went into the design of the ship and the locales it visits – a good sign for things to come. In the end, poor technology can be overcome by a good and willing spirit. I think Mr. Roddenberry would approve.
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