 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Syndicated
- Genre: Science Fiction
Common Sense Media says
Still going boldly, updated series is fun for all.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this entry in the Star Trek franchise doesn't have the same impact as the original. The first series was groundbreaking, famous for its willingness to address important social issues at a time when the United States was in the midst of a major cultural transformation. This iteration, however, is more focused on pure entertainment than social commentary. It's plenty of fun, the special effects are a vast improvement over the original, and many episodes do try to make a larger point, but in general the goal is simply storytelling. And that's just fine.
What's the story?
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION stars Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) as the unflappable captain of the new Enterprise. He is a calm and organized leader -- a sharp contrast to the original Star Trek's James T. Kirk (William Shatner). While TNG is about mankind's ongoing quest to promote peace and tranquility, it's also about having adventures in space, and doesn't have the same kind of social commentary its predecessor had.
Is it any good?
TNG is much bigger than the original series -- the bridge, where much of the action takes place, is bigger, the crew is bigger, and even the Federation seems to cover more of the galaxy. So many races pop up repeatedly throughout the series that viewers might need a guidebook to keep track of which ones are allies and which are hostile (fortunately, the series was so popular in its seven seasons on the air that several of those books are available). TNG gradually created an elaborate canon of Star Trek lore, which has been replicated in three additional spin-off shows. This complex, finely nuanced interior literature gave the series a strong foundation for storytelling, and many of the episodes have complex, intriguing plots and profound social undercurrents. But the real accomplishment of TNG is simply that it managed to create an entire future universe that seems plausible, is nearly religious about maintaining internal consistency, and is loads of fun to watch.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about consequences. The crew of the Enterprise is on an extended mission to explore the galaxy, and they often encounter far-less-advanced alien cultures. Their Prime Directive is to never interfere in the natural pace of another race's development, because it's almost certain to permanently alter their evolutionary path, and not always for the better. Do you agree with this approach? Does it have any parallels in real life? Are there times when doing what seems like the humane thing can have negative consequences? Families who've seen other Star Trek shows and movies can also discuss how they're different from and similar to each other. Which one is your favorite?
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- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Our family (kids ages 8 and 9) has watched the entire series and are now watching Voyager. This is a wonderful show for opening family discussion: prejudice, sexism, addiction..it's all there! I believe this series is more appropriate for young kids than the original because it has very little insidious sexism- the mini skirts of the original ST seem very sexist to me, as does Kirk's constant womanizing. There are more strong female characters here and they are not prancing around in go-go boots!
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AGE
Go Patrick Stewart!
Star Trek: The Next Generation is good for teens and adults!
Lots of Re-runs!
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AGE
The Best TV Show Ever!
This is the best TV series ever made. Adventure, good role models, good morals, interesting characters, a vision of the future as a better place with loftier goals for humans -- exploration, interest in and appreciation of the new and different, the opposite of xenophobia. It is great for children and adults (only caution is that there is some violence -- battles, and also sometimes death so parents should consider this when determining what is appropriate for their own children).
Enjoy!
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AGE
A Great Show
I have been a Star Trek fan since I was a kid and The Next Generation started me out and then I moved to the Original Series my siblings watched when they were kids. It's a great watch for anyone who loves sci-fi and space.
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AGE
I LOVE STAR TREK!
I can't help being a bit of a Trekkie. The plots in "The Next Generation" are so intricate and interesting. I love how each of the characters in the series developes more and more in each episode. A must watch for anyone who likes drama and/or sci-fi!
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AGE
These are the adventures of the Star Ship Enterprise; Boldly entertaining where no one entertained before....
This is one great series! While keeping up the general idea, this series introduces new plots and characters. There are, however, some curse words and bloody situations. Still a great show!
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AGE
Great Sci-fi. Just watch for the suggestive stuff.
Excellent series. TNG had great special effects for the 80's and 90's and is great for the satisfaction of action. I would strongly recommend not letting children watch this show. (12 and under) There is a lot suggestive situations that would be to intense for children. I would recommend The Original Series for the younger generation. I never thought I would like anything besides TOS, but once I saw a single TNG episode, I was hooked. Some episodes were "duds." Especially in the first season. (e.g. Data getting infected with PSI 2000 virus.) However, in the episode Hide and Q, Q gives Riker powers. It shows how power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Riker almost does become corrupt from his power. But he sees his way and feels like an idiot. Picard tells Q that he has failed to tempt a human into joining the Continuum and Q departs. All in all, a great series, but not for children.
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AGE
Awesomeness! Amazing saga
This is pretty much my favorite TV series ever (not that I have watched too many). It is an awesome series. Every episode was creative and reflected real world problems and solutions while putting in enough science fiction to make it very interesting. Great characters and species (especially the borg). Not too violent, and very rarely blood, if at all. Mild drinking (in Ten Forward bar). Really cool.
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AGE
Forget this....
I've seen 28 episodes and say that the language on it is outrageous. I have a Curse Free TV and I keep hearing *BLEEEP* every 8-10 minutes. Sexual references abound. Commander Riker is Captain Kirk's Womanizer side on steroids. He is seen in bed with at least 10 women in those episodes. I can't stand to watch it anymore. Voyager is much cleaner. It does have good role models, messages of equality, and Space and Physics educational upsides, but I do not recommend it.
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AGE
Very good Sci-Fi show teaching about respecting other people no matter what they look like, and working together.
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| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Network: | Syndicated |
| Cast: | Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
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