"Star Trek, The Next Generation
Loved throughout the nation
It's my favourite show...
(I've seen every episode...)"
- Adam Buxton, The Adam & Joe Show.
Star Trek: The Next Generation was a syndicated television series that ran from 1987-1994. It is widely regarded by sci-fi fans and normal people alike to be one of the best TV series ever made. It looked good, all (alright, most) of the characters were well developed and interesting to watch, and there was a continuous stream of ideas that became part of our cultural language (the Borg being a prominent example).
The first couple of series were pretty lame compared to the later ones. However, once the groundwork was done, the producers decided to put some distance between their universe and that of the original Star Trek series. Out of the shadow of its cheap, melodramatic (but popular) predecessor, ST:TNG developed its own identity. It even managed to transfer with some limited success to the big screen, although outside of an episodic structure the show's weaknesses are more apparent.