Star Trek

I'm just curious? TNG is so popular both with Star Trek fans and non fans. TNG is usually the only Trek show people don't like Trek still like. I just want to know, what makes it so special?

I love TNG of course, but I don't understand how it had this huge fan base while the other series don't?

It's just always seemed to me like all of the shows have something good to offer and have some really awesome things to see, and I just don't get why people hang onto TNG so dearly while practically ignoring the other series? 

I don't know if people really do.  I think most "fans" would put another series above tng in thier list of favourites.  And I think the general public thinks of Kirk first when they think of star trek, not picard. 

though likely those are the only two captains they could name.

Probably true, it just seems like TNG tends to hog all the attention.

I think one of the best thing about TNG was the supporting cast.  There was more going on on board than just interaction between the major characters.  Characters like Reginald Barclay and Guinan kept me coming back.

It's overall appeal to general audiences. Not as dramatic as DS9 or "weak" as some people would considerd Voyager and Enterprise.

I think a big part of it is that after 20 years give or take a new Star Trek came on the air, something that fans from the 60s had been wanting more of. Sure it was an "all new Enterprise and an all new crew" but it was also sort of a validation that hey Star Trek is not going away.
It helped kick off all the new shows of the 90s whether you liked them or not, which I did. It also had characters just as compelling as the original which was always going to be something it was going to be compared to. Of course the first 4 movies helped as well but you knew that the movies were not going to keep going indefinitely stopping with 6 in '91.
In short it helped, in a very big way, to keep Star Trek alive and that I think is a big part of it being so popular.

I think is that TNG is a perfect example of how using a different cast works well. TNG makes references to TOS, while providing something new. It created new planets and races, yet still could please longtime fans. It showed that Star Trek wasn't dead. 

I can see that, but hey DS9 had tons of recurring characters, and Voyager had Barclay and Troi make appearances. Would you say this helped Voyager at all?

The thing is though, overall Voyager and Enterprise really aren't weak at all. Everyone knows it's the common opinion or view that Voyager and Enterprise are bad. But admittedly some people due to hearing these things, have never even bothered with them.

Ultimately, I think TNG is weaker overall than DS9 Voyager and Enterprise. I realize that's just my opinion, but there are a good bit of people who only watch TNG or have only seen part of the other series but say they're too weak to watch. I've watched every episode of every series, and every film. How can one make an accurate assessment without having seen each piece and each aspect if they only have a partial picture?

That's all I'm saying. TNG is fantastic. And it's also a great series to start new people out on. But I think the other series are stronger overall.

People tend to think the other series are weak, because that's what they're told to think. After you hear something for a long period of time that sinks in and you start believing it. That's why some people even say, they've never seen Enterprise at all, but refuse to watch it because they've heard for so long that it's terrible.

That's a very good point. In fact I think history probably repeated itself with Star Trek 2009. I think that film might end up being very popular for a good while longer. Possibly more so when the next film comes out if it's not as good as 2009. Or if the majority thinks 2009 was better.

While this is definitely a very accurate statement, DS9, Voyager and Enterprise all did the same things. DS9 started visiting the mirror universe and went back in time to TOS in Trials and Tribble-ations. Voyager too made references to TOS and went back to Star Trek VI in Flashback. Enterprise did a ton of TOS references in it's 4th season. Each of those series too offered something new. I would also think having 4 series out back to back would also show that Star Trek wasn't dead.

I grew up watching TNG with my mom who passed away in 98 from ovarian cancer, and i just remember how comforting it was to watch it with her, to immerse ourselves, if only for an hour, in a world where things were right and fair and just. We fell in love with the characters (especially Data and Picard!) and the plot and just the idea of being able to explore the galaxy. It was comforting to see that there was a vision of a world with no war, disease, money, violence; just peace and the desire to explore and reach out to others. It honestly shaped much of who I am today and i still love to watch it even though ive seen every episode about a thousand times! I don't know, I think it just gives us a very clear vision and message of how things could be, and how easy it would be to reach that level of existance if we all learned to communicate better. Just my thoughts!

Your whole post was pretty much my thought on the subject. I think TNG became so popular because it was such a big deal that a new series was being released.

The great cast of characters sure helped, too, though.

I don't see a greater number of TNG fans ignoring or dismissing other series (although of course some do and that is their choice.) But although primarily a DS9 fan, a lot of what I like about TNG comes down to the stories.

The ensemble cast is given every opportunity
to do more than acknowledge orders with an,
"aye sir" and we're allowed into their lives ...
in a way that TOS refused to do, in favor of
focusing on the triad. And like TOS, stories
were relevant and interesting, too.

I'm very glad that Roddenberry got to perfect
the STAR TREK concept with TNG. I just love it!