Episode 51

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Dan and Mike begin their coverage of Star Trek: The Next Generation with a DVD commentary of "Encounter at Farpoint." [ 2:03:38 || 59.8 MB ]

 

[Stavros]

Re the ship design, I'm not as big a fan of it as you guys just because it feels too much like an 80s art piece, like Worfs chair or something. It's very definitively this flowing finished article when to this point the Federation ships feel very practical and modular, infinitely upgradable like the Miranda or Excelsior that remain in service for at least 90 years in-universe. Like the red uniforms that last from Wrath of Khan to Picards early career.

Now the fact that I don't love it doesn't mean it doesn't fit the show and the narrative of Trek overall, that the federations flagship is this indolent space-liner. They are a society that feels like they are at their peak and make this crown jewel to capture this one moment in time. Once the Borg knock them on their ass it's not surprising they completely reevaluate and go back to tough practical designs. You can probably build 6 defiants with the resources it takes to build one Galaxy class. 

[Stavros]

Re the uniforms, I believe the reason why Voyager went with the DS9 era outfits is they were made for higher definition TV.

The old TNG suits apparently looked much ropier especially on film hence the 50/50 split in Generations where it's mainly extras in the old uniforms, but with Voyager the idea was they'd be able to trade stock with DS9 and keep costs down without remaking an entire stock of OG TNG style uniforms that didnt look as good.

They worked it into the story a little with Sisko starting in the TNG uniform and transitioning once he was on the station, but for Voyager it was pretty much just a cost saving deal.

[Dan]

8 hours ago, Stavros said:

Re the uniforms, I believe the reason why Voyager went with the DS9 era outfits is they were made for higher definition TV.

The old TNG suits apparently looked much ropier especially on film hence the 50/50 split in Generations where it's mainly extras in the old uniforms, but with Voyager the idea was they'd be able to trade stock with DS9 and keep costs down without remaking an entire stock of OG TNG style uniforms that didnt look as good.

They worked it into the story a little with Sisko starting in the TNG uniform and transitioning once he was on the station, but for Voyager it was pretty much just a cost saving deal.

That makes a lot of sense.

[Missy]

I can almost head-canon it, too. Prior to her command of the USS Voyager, Captain Janeway was a science officer -- which always had me assuming Voyager was a scientific vessel. (Granted, all Starfleet are science vessels, but some more so than others.) With that in mind, I can see a science crew donning the more workmanlike outfits worn by the Deep Space Nine crew. They're not going to be out there greeting diplomats; they're out there getting there hands dirty, literally. So the mostly black outfits make sense.

[Dan]

Those uniforms are still butt.

[Missy]

On Voyager, I fully agree. On DS9, though aesthetically they're butts, I see their value.

[Stavros]

I like them, but that might just be my DS9 bias sneaking in. I really like the Grey dominant uniforms where Sisko and Picard get their captains waist coats as well, although nothing quite beats the suede jacket Picard blatantly had made for himself. There's no way that was uniform. Kind of like how there's so many admirals uniforms that they blatantly just get to have their own made like third world dictators.