The original series was one of greatness but this show took the series too all new heights never dreamed of in the 1960's. Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard is stunning and eloquent. Every thing he says you feel he means. While Kirk in the old series was quick to kill, Picard is more laid back and reserves blood shed for only the more extreme cases (like the Borg). This difference is mainly from the times of which the series were created. Kirk's show had the stigma of the Cold War and Communism to fuel it's story line and reflect on the time it was created which was the time of much great fear and revolution in the world especially even in the U.S with racial tensions which that show dealt with in a good manner. Now flash forward to the late 1980's when America and Russia are quickly coming out of the Cold War. This was a time ripe Captian Picard and his resiliency for humanity. Picard remains calm and collected in his shows and always beats the enemy with wit, not might, like Kirk.
The Next Generation is also cool because it had a stellar supporting cast. Michael Dorn as Worf is classic and to date he has more appearances in Trek than anyone else. Johnathan Frakes as Number one is cool too, he's not quite the foil to Picard that Spock was to Kirk, but it work. The foil to Picard that equals Spock's levels is that of the character Data, played to perfection by Brent Spiner. Data is what gives this show it's heart and it would not have been what it is without him. I never did really care for the females in this cast Miriana Sirtria and Gates Mcfadden. It's not because their not good actresses, I just feel they were never given the opportunity to grow. Levar Burton as Geordy La Forge is great. He is what mainly drew me to Trek, because I had liked him from his Reading Rainbow days. And to round it all out there is Wil Wheaton. Wil was a fine actor. I like him best in Stand By Me, but he does good in this show. I wish he had stayed through the entire run. But alas it was not so. Watch this show it is great.
The Next Generation is also cool because it had a stellar supporting cast. Michael Dorn as Worf is classic and to date he has more appearances in Trek than anyone else. Johnathan Frakes as Number one is cool too, he's not quite the foil to Picard that Spock was to Kirk, but it work. The foil to Picard that equals Spock's levels is that of the character Data, played to perfection by Brent Spiner. Data is what gives this show it's heart and it would not have been what it is without him. I never did really care for the females in this cast Miriana Sirtria and Gates Mcfadden. It's not because their not good actresses, I just feel they were never given the opportunity to grow. Levar Burton as Geordy La Forge is great. He is what mainly drew me to Trek, because I had liked him from his Reading Rainbow days. And to round it all out there is Wil Wheaton. Wil was a fine actor. I like him best in Stand By Me, but he does good in this show. I wish he had stayed through the entire run. But alas it was not so. Watch this show it is great.