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Rating: - Just can't stop watching . . .
This has to be one of my favorite TV shows. I'm so thrilled to finally own the series on DVD, as I haven't been able to watch it for the last ten years. Every time I moved somewhere new, I would eagerly get my cable hooked up, only to be crushed when I found out that TNG was not part of the line-up. (There were times when I was on holiday that I would refuse to leave the hotel room, because I was finally able to catch a TNG episode, and I wasn't leaving until it was over!)

I started watching it in 1992 because I had a crush on Wesley Crusher (lame, I know, but hey, I was eleven!) So I was watching it because I thought that he was cute, but after about three episodes, I was completely hooked on the show itself. The storylines are just so awesome, and full of the kind of moral standards that define the human race. Where else can you find another show that upholds so many positive messages, about truth and freedom and honor and the beauty of being human, even with all of its hardships, and . . .the list goes on and on. Yes, there are a couple of "stinkers", (The Naked Now, Masks) but there are few and far between. I guess every series is allowed to fail once or twice.(I recommend skipping over The Naked Now - I can't stand this episode - it's like watching a cheap porno movie! Not that I watch those, mind you!)

One of the people who worked on the show remarked that each episode is like half of a feature film, and he's absolutely right. Not many shows can be so moving in 45 minutes, but STNG manages it. I have found myself crying by the end of the show so many times, (if you're familiar with The Inner Light, you'll understand what I mean.) It's just that moving. And of course, sometimes there are points when I've had to pause playback, because I'm laughing so hard (often at a moment where Data makes an unintentionally hilarious comment). And of course the Q episodes are some of the best for comedy. (Watch Deja Q if you want to laugh your head off - as far as I'm concerned, no one can watch Data having his first belly laugh without cracking up.)

I bought this set as my bonus for the year, while my husband got a new computer. So the DVDs were technically supposed to be mine, but now my husband won't let me watch them without him there! (Well, he would let me, of course, but he doesn't want to miss an episode.) He had only seen maybe a handful of TNG episodes before I purchased this set. He was more of a Voyager fan, as that was what was on TV at the time that he started to become a Trekkie. But after watching maybe ten TNG episodes, he had to agree that TNG absolutely blows Voyager away. (I did give that show a chance, I watched it for almost three months when it first started, but it just didn't have the heart of TNG.)

We bought this set less than two months ago, and already, we're halfway through season six! We have to be watching about 3-4 episodes a night, and as many as eight on the weekends. We just can't stop, they're that good.

As you can guess, I was too young to really enjoy the original series. They were before my time. I've seen a few, but they were a bit too cheesy for me. Plus, after Captain Picard, I couldn't like the cowboy style of Kirk. TNG is what I grew up with.

Now I'm looking forward to owning Deep Space Nine. (I don't like it as much as TNG, but it's still good.) Voyager and Enterprise, I might what the occasional show if it happens to be on TV, but TNG can be watched over and over. I'll never tire of it.

I would recommend getting a companion guide to go with the set. I have TV Guide's "Farewell to Star Trek: The Next Generation". Not too easy to get your hands on, but very good. It includes a synopsis of every single episode, including the names of the guest stars and a few trivia tidbits. The book also has interviews of every regular cast member, even a few that weren't in that many episodes, like Q and Ensign Ro. It may be a little difficult to get your hands on a copy (try Ebay, as Amazon doesn't have it), but it's well worth it.

Also, it's been said over and over, but beware of the Asian releases! It's cheaper, but the picture and sound quality sucks, and many of the episodes are cut off at the end. It may not be enough missing to leave you hanging, but who wants that? While the Amazon price might seem steep, it works out to less than $3.50 US an episode, while getting the bonus stuff for free. (I'm from Canada, but even with the exchange rate, it worked out to less than $4.50 Canadian for an episode, with the bonus stuff for free.) When you look at it that way, it doesn't seem so bad. It was an "ouch" to part with the money, but at least this way, I'll own the whole show forever, and now I can watch any episode anytime. Also, buy the whole set at once, rather than individual seasons, you'll save yourself $150-$200. And you'll get a nice little sleeve to store them all in.

The surround sound on this set is just awesome. If you have surround sound, you will love watching it like this.

There's only a couple of things that I would change about this set if I could. I would have liked to have seen some bloopers as part of the extras. DVD commentary would also have been appreciated. And I would have changed the packaging to an accordian style (like a book) foldout. The way it is now, you have to unfold the holder across your coffee table so that you can get the last disc out. It's rather annoying. And sometimes, the disc holder doesn't want to come out of the box. Also, the DVD chapters aren't set up so that you can just click past the credits (I did that once, then wondered why I'd missed part of the episode). But other than that, everything else is great. I have every single episode, to watch anytime that I want. No more waiting for the occasional show on a friend's satellite system!

Favorite episodes:
The Best of Both Worlds, parts I and II
The Inner Light
I, Borg
Tapestry
Yesterday's Enterprise
The Measure of a Man
The Offspring
Who Watches the Watchers?
The Pegasus
Deja Q
Remember Me
Reunion
Clues
The Host
Disaster
Ethics
Gambit, parts I and II
The First Duty
The Hunted

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