Most Star Trek fans point to The Next Generation as the best series in the franchise, and it has remained relatively unchallenged since it went off the air in 1994. Deep Space Nine would make a big impact by itself, but it couldn't quite match the awe and wonder that its parent series had laid down.
The Next Generation didn't start out perfect. In fact, its long journey towards stability took two full seasons, with a lot of pitfalls along the way. Here are 10 of the biggest ways Star Trek: The Next Generation changed over the course of its seven-season run, notably for the better.
Less Awkward Stories
Every TV show starts off its first season on awkward footing, and they may not actually hit their stride until well into the second or even third season. That's precisely what happened with The Next Generation, which started out as a direct nod to the overall tone and feel of the original 1960s series that started it all.
In truth, the shift towards more believable and contemporary tones might have saved it from certain doom. As wonderful as Gene Roddenberry's imagination and vision for a bright future were, his oversight of the series was a bit outdated. Several prominent writers would the team and help TNG along until its mighty third season arrived.
Better Dialogue
Early dialogue in TNG stories was jilted, wooden, and cringe-worthy. While the writing team excelled at creating excellent characters with believable story arcs, they felt far too over-dramatic and unbelievable when it came to conversations. Whether it was the addition of new writers, or the cast simply feeling comfortable around one another, the dialogue began to loosen up.
This helped relax the show a bit while drawing new viewers in. As the 1980s came to a close, TNG was beginning to evolve into the era of more realistic storytelling and character depictions. Every character began to change, for the better.
Less Focus On The Ferengi As Antagonists
It was hinted that the mysterious Ferengi were going to replace the traditional Klingons as the series' recurring antagonists, but this never really came to fruition. Let's face it - the Ferengi aren't particularly intimidating or dangerous. Their stature is small and skittish, and their culture is based entirely on a severely warped idea of capitalism.
As such, they didn't seem to have anything in the way of plans for galactic domination or war. Although their weaponry was formidable, their motives simply were not. By the time the first season had ended, the Ferengi were out, paving the way for the Romulans to make a far more ominous and effective return.
More Social Commentary
Star Trek is all about injecting a healthy dose of social commentary into its stories in a non-threatening, light-handed manner. The first two seasons did just that, but it wouldn't be until season three that this kind of thing really picked up. Again, this is due to the onboarding of super-talented writers such as Brannon Braga, Jeri Taylor, Melinda Snodgrass, and Michael Piller.
Rather than preach to the audience, the writers cleverly injected incredibly important commentaries about human nature, politics, equality, and comion into their scripts, which culminated in some of the best dramatic television in history. It's a skill that has unfortunately been lost over the last few years.
Darker Episodes
TNG began on a high note as Roddenberry attempted to duplicate the same tone and feel of the original series, but it wouldn't stay that way forever. While early episodes did have their dark moments (Tasha Yar's death, specifically), most of them were done so with a sense of adventurous tension in mind.
Later seasons would tackle some very dark subject matter including sexual assault, physical and psychological torture, government brainwashing, and genocide. The series never lost its optimism, but it wasn't afraid to remind everyone that the 24th century wasn't the perfect utopia Roddenberry had claimed.
Series Crossovers
TNG's runaway success would eventually pave new ground for spinoffs such as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager, both of which went on to reap massive success on their own. Several major plots would find the Enterprise crew dipping into these other series to shake things up a bit.
It would also create an opportunity to vastly expand on the established 24th-century universe that TNG was set in by introducing the Dominion War, and the events that would follow in its wake. Eventually, this would spill over into the feature-length Next Generation Hollywood film series.
Recurring Romulan Plots
As the Ferengi were phased out of their bad guy roles after the end of season one, all eyes suddenly turned on the Romulans, and for good reason. This secretive isolationist race spent decades in relative silence behind the Neutral Zone, only to awaken after the Borg began attacking their outposts.
This single act caused the Romulans to view the Federation as the possible culprit, which reignited tensions and made them the principal antagonists of the show. The Enterprise would have multiple run-ins with the Romulans over the course of six seasons, though not all of them were aggressive.
Different Romances
Romance is a key component of any dramatic television series, and Star Trek is no different. Eventually, folks are going to start getting cozy with one another, and the Enterprise crew went through more than a few of these romps throughout the seasons.
Some romances such as the one between Riker and Troi played the long game, eventually culminating in marriage during the very last TNG feature film. Others such as Worf's brief fling with Troi wouldn't go the distance, just as Captain Picard remained a single man despite a few adventures of his own.
Imperfect Characters
Roddenberry's original vision for the TNG Enterprise crew was for them to be a model of decorum and class, with little in the way of personal foibles. The writers soon realized that this was not only unrealistic but boring to the audience. They began writing the characters in a more imperfect light to show that humans would never quite conquer their own imperfections.
Geordi kept striking out with the ladies, Data failed to make anyone laugh, Wesley participated in the cover-up of a Starfleet cadet's tragic death, and Picard fell into the throes of hatred. One of the best examples of humanity's innate imperfection was undoubtedly the fourth season episode "The Drumhead," focusing on an antagonistic iral who stirs up fear and paranoia with conspiracy theories and totalitarianism, all in the name of righteous virtue signaling.
Equality Among Characters
The Next Generation was big on diversity right from day one, but it didn't reach perfection right out of the gate. The inclusion of a Klingon Starfleet officer was an excellent nod towards racial equality, as was the presence of the female Tasha Yar being the head of security. Even Geordi La Forge's blindness was viewed as a strength.
The series required a few more seasons to iron out the kinks, most notably when it came to Deanna Troi. She started out as a relatively ive and traditional female, but she'd later find herself rising to the rank of Commander when she decided to challenge herself and further her career, without losing who she was before. Once again, the writers eschewed heavy-handed social activism in favor of natural character progression, creating characters that fans on every side of the social aisle could cheer for.