I completely disagree with that assessment. The protagonists may not TELL us anything interesting about the human condition, but no good piece of fiction (with a few very rare exceptions) should ever, ever have your characters TELL their condition. That's a recipe for boring. The characters SHOW the condition they're trying to convey, and they can do that quite effectively while spouting all kinds of absurd techno or fantasy babble.

Now part of the failing of this is that, in the case of TV or movies, you're completely dependent on the skill of your actors to get you passed this, because if they fail at their job then yes, all you're left with is technobabble that no one will understand. Part of the weakness of TNG I think is that Geordi was often the one stuck in the tenchobabbling role and, while I adore LeVar Burton, he was not the most versatile actor on the show. (He was excellent at what he did, but always tended to strike the same note. When it was the note needed, he was wonderful. When it wasn't...not so much.)

Go back and find some episodes that involve a lot of technobabble from Picard or Data, and you'll see what I mean. Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner are amazing actors, and both have the acting skill not to rise *above* the babble, but to incorporate it into their character in such a way you barely even notice it. It just IS. Its not distracting because you're paying far more attention to the character and situation than to deciphering whatever babble the writers have put in their mouth.

Optimist With Doubts wrote:

^ pretty much all of this Really I love TNG and have few complaints, though as much of a fan of Wheaton as I am Wesley is damn annoying sometimes.

Well since even Wil Wheaton finds the little brat annoying as shit, I'd say you're in good company.

Seriously, have you ever read the reviews he did of all the Wesley-centric episodes? Funny as hell. He basically rips himself (and the writers) a new one while laughing maniacally.