In Defense of The Genre

As several of you regular readers may have noticed I have a slight tendency to obsess over all things relating to Star Trek: The Next Generation. Some have found this disconcerting as it completely throws into turmoil your pre-concieved notion of me:"Star Trek? WTF? I thought he was a mildly politically aware, whiny little emo kid, not a nerd."
I don't dispute that I at any given moment could win 4th or third in a spontaneous "who's got the tightest jeans" competition, but emo, alas no. My hair isn't straight enough to hang over my eyes so I can constantly flick it out of my face with a shake of my head only for that same shock of black stringy hair to fall right back to its original position, causing a perpetual douchebaggey head shaking that gives me and everyone watching a headache. I MEAN WHAT THE FUCK! WHY DO YOU DO THAT!!?? IT DRIVES ME INSANE!! FOR FUCK'S SAKE STOP!! GET A NORMAL FUCKING HAIRCUT! NOT ONE THAT LOOKS LIKE YOU JUMPED OUT OF ONE OF THOSE JAPANESE ANIME CARTOONS!!!

FDKSFS/FSFADLSDLASALFMSE 234C2RLFASMEFSD!!!!!!!

Ahem...

But I digress. Yes I do like Star Trek: TNG and I'm not ashamed to say it. Now I'm not the type to go to conventions or speak Klingon (which sounds suspiciously like drunk German mixed with Hindi) ie your classic "trekkie." As a child I was a fan of science-fiction (and eating rocks) and to and extent still am (not the rocks) but TNG transcends these feeble tendencies.

Plain and simple.

Star Trek: The Next Generation was a damn good show.

And It's not just me the show won a total of 18 Emmys in its seven seasons on air (the longest of any Star Trek series) as well as winning a Peabody Award, and Three Hugo Awards. This is because it was brilliantly written, with an amazing cast.

From the time I started watching as a chubby little kid in Spokane to now as a cynical bearded man-child, the show kept its winning formula, telling a rich and entertaining story in one hour of television. The first half hour simultaneously gave enough background for the episode and set up the main conflict early. Because of this the second half of the show could be used to build a complex and suspenseful resolution to that conflict. It is action TV writing at its finest.

And the cast. Headed by classically trained British Actor Patrick Stewart, and co starring LeVar Burton, and even Whoopi Goldberg, the show had some serious starpower to deal with. Picard is the best Starfleet captain ever, with his unshakable duty as an officer and his sagacious insight gained from his age made him the man's man of Star Trek. Plus with seven seasons and four motion pictures the series had plenty of time to show the complex character of Jean-Luc Picard in all its glory.

So what if its set in space with weird aliens and mustard colored jumpsuits?

Bottom line,

forget the nerd factor. I'm totally down with TNG. Its a fucking brilliant show, and I will devote my young adult life to collecting the series on DVD.

And I'm not ashamed to admit it.

(I am also looking for TNG related apparel which if I find you will see me rock everywhere, probably including my wedding and funeral!)

That's enough good TV. Listen to some good music.