Thoughts on the First Season of Star Trek: TNG

Over the past couple of days, I have been watching the first season of Star Trek: the Next Generation, and a couple of thoughts stand out to me. First of all, in comparison to the other seasons of the series, this one is terrible, yet it actually isn't that bad. I think the best way to describe the episodes is uneven. The writers, producers, and actors have yet to really discover who the characters are.

For example, Picard is a jackass this season. He seems much more aloof, and superior feeling. In the episodes I have been watching he has not reached that more fatherly figure he becomes later in the series. It is kind of disappointing.

Then for the episodes, they are very mixed. Within one episode, there are some really great moments and then some bad ones. In "Where No One Has Gone Before," there is a great montage of characters having hallucinations within the strange universe they explore. It is extremely well done, but then the rest of the episode is not as strong. Of course, other episodes are real clunkers like the first appearance of the Ferengi in "Last Outpost" and the one with the African tribe.

As for the character of Wesley Crusher, he had such potential, but it is so annoying that he notices things before the senior staff. How is that believable? However, I want to like Wesley because as a kid I would have loved to have his experience. Who wouldn't want to be a kid on a Starship?

Anyway, I'm only halfway through the first season. Perhaps, I will find some more observations worth writing about. Then again with this seasons... perhaps not.

Some Geeky Obersvations

While watching some tv shows lately, I have been making some incredibly geeky observations. Stuff like references to other elements of geek culture and attention to detail. Here are a few of them.

• While watching an episode of The X-Files, I noticed that Mulder resides at apartment number 42. How appropripate. The man who seeks the truth resides at the address which happens to be the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything.
• With the series finale behind me, I began watching Battlestar Galactica with Liza. Now I knew the ship got dirtier as the series went on, but I did not realize how much until this viewing of the miniseries. The ship and its interior such as the CIC is immaculate at the start of the series. Talk about an attention to detail. It is just further testament to the pain staking level of continuity the staff was prepared for.
• Recently, I have become hooked on the show The IT Crowd. One of my favorite elements of the show is the geeky clutter in the background of the office. Particularly, I love the board games which include Ticket to Ride. My girlfriend laughed at me because I was disappointed that they are missing from the first series. I'll try to pinpoint the exact episode they appear and try to identify the exact games.

As I watch more TV this fall, expect more geeky observations. It may become a new hobby of mine.