‘Trek’ has drifted since ‘Next Generation’

"Voyager" was too obsessed with the idea of returning home, and of course the immobile "Deep Space Nine" never really went anywhere. Both of them felt far too much like our world, not a utopian, even unrealistic future. On "Next Generation," viewers really felt like they were exploring uncharted space alongside the crew.

"Enterprise"'s concept seemed to reconnect with the idea of exploration, but aesthetically, it didn't fit into the Star Trek universe. The ship is too modern, even despite its beams and hard edges. Ironically, because "Enterprise" doesn't look anything like its rapidly aging grandparent, it feels false, an impostor pretending to precede a series it clearly comes long after. A Commodore 128 plugged into a TV set feels more futuristic than the flashing lights of the original NCC-1701, and thus "Enterprise" found itself in an impossible position: appeal to audiences in the 21st century while looking like a 1960s vision of the 22nd century.

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" found this balance with a sleek ship and slightly more idealized human inhabitants. Still, the series was far from flawless, almost shifting into full-on camp mode at times. The early episodes now appear almost comical. They have the feel of high school actors navigating sets constructed in 15 minutes with spray-painted refrigerator boxes; Data's caked-on makeup resembled a robotic Tammy Faye Baker.

Yet the cast managed to move beyond the constraints of late 1980s production design, and there's no doubt that much of that is attributable to Patrick Stewart's presence. As Captain Jean-Luc Picard, he brought the full force of his stage acting experience, and helped make many of the stories feel like Shakespearean dramas set in space.

The other actors also added weight to the show, although many took time to find and feel comfortable as their characters.

Troi's stilted dialogue gradually improved, and Worf eventually learned how to be more than a 24th century Ryan Atwood, doing more than brooding and fighting. Even teenage Wesley Crusher and android Data grew up over time.

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" became the realization of the Trek universe's ideals, an imperfect but post-apocalyptic world where adventure and exploration were the primary goals. The episodes posed serious questions, starting with the pilot, in which Q forced Captain Picard to defend humanity against its sins. These themes weren't always introduced subtly or gracefully, but they fit into the universe that had been created.

While later Trek series picked up on similar themes, none had the distinct combination of elements that made "The Next Generation" so watchable.

Although no Trek series are currently in development, ideas floated for future series include a focus on Starfleet Academy.

That might be a good idea for a typical drama, but it's not the right way to bring back Trek. The only real way to resuscitate Star Trek is to focus on exploring space in a future after the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D's time. Otherwise, it's better to end the series now, at least until there's a way to recapture what "Star Trek: The Next Generation" used to bring into our living rooms.

Andy Dehnart is a writer and teacher who publishes reality blurred, a daily summary of reality TV.

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