TNG is far too episodic.
I like TNG being very episodic in the same way I like TOS being episodic.
Which is different than saying I wish shows today were more episodic. I like that shows today are serial. That makes them much more entertaining to watch in the here and now when you watch them as binge tv which everybody does nowadays.
But the downside of that being I find serial TV makes me not watch the shows as much in the long term. I can randomly plop out an episode of TNG and TOS and sit and watch it for 45 minutes and thoroughly enjoy myself. I've always been able to do that since I was a kid. Some episodes I've seen dozens of times in that regard. I don't have to overly concern myself with the context of that episode within the big picture. They are nice simple short stories in that regard.
The more something becomes serial the less inclined I am to pull out random episodes just to watch and enjoy because watching one of those kind of episodes doesn't feel complete in the same way.
So I'm glad TOS and TNG existed in a highly episodic era of television, even though I'm happy the current era of television is highly serial by comparison.
You know what. I was in the middle of writing a rebuttal to this when I decided to look at the episode descriptions of seasons 3-6 on wikipedia. And...you're right. I'm wrong. I was being really hard on TNG. I think the final season or so probably left a bad taste in my mouth? I got utterly burned out on the show. As I looked through the episodes list, I kept saying,"man, I love that one. And that one. And that one."
I guess my love for DS9 (which I like about every episode on besides Move Along Home which is terrible) as well as the bad taste it made in seasons 6 and 7 (although they have the occasional great episode) made me judge it too harshly.
I don't mind episodic shows. DS9 for instance isn't completely serialized. I guess I was focusing on a handful (or two) of bad episodes or specific type of episodes I abhor (the crew gets turned into kids and everyone thinks they're cute and incompetent, let's watch them save the day!) rather than the kind of episodes I loved about it.
To be more positive and fair to TNG, I'm going to list episode I adore that aren't the typical Chain of Command, Inner Light, Darmok;etc. along with their description to hopefully give an idea as to why I love them.
"The Ensigns of Command" - Data (Brent Spiner) must persuade a stubborn colony to evacuate their homeland under threat of a powerful and mysterious race.
"The Survivors" - The Enterprise investigates the last two survivors of an annihilated world, as the entire surface has been transformed to dust except their one little house and garden.
"Who Watches the Watchers" - Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) must rectify the damage done when two primitives from Mintaka III catch a glimpse of a Federation observation team and eventually conclude that Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) is a god.
"Suddenly Human" - Picard must help a human boy, raised by aliens, to decide his fate.
"First Contact" - Riker is hospitalized during a botched pre-first contact mission. Xenophobia results in increasing hostility toward his presence.
"Night Terrors" - The Enterprise is trapped in a rift, the crew succumbs to REM sleep deprivation, and Deanna has a recurring nightmare.
"Ensign Ro" - After an attack on a Federation outpost, Picard is sent to locate a Bajoran terrorist with the help of Ensign Ro Laren.
"The Wounded" - A rogue Starfleet Captain jeopardizes the Cardassian peace treaty.
"Hero Worship" - Data saves the life of an orphaned boy who begins to emulate him.
"Imaginary Friend" - A child's imaginary playmate takes on physical form and threatens the well-being of the Enterprise.
"I, Borg" - The Enterprise rescues a Borg survivor, whom Geordi names 'Hugh'. Picard plans to download a destructive computer virus to Hugh so the virus will spread throughout the collective when Hugh is sent back.
Season 5 is IMO the best season of the show.
I guess I'm saying that I think TNG would be way better if it ended a season earlier maybe. Season 7 drained me and season 6 wasn't the best either.
Nobody, don't mind me. I'm a negative nancy. TNG is great. I just have a tendency to fixate on specific flaws of something and can't see the forest because of a few really, really ugly and rotten trees. A personal failing of mine.
Sorry everyone.