@startrek I absolutely will argue until I'm blue in the face that TNG wasn't anywhere near as progressive for its time as TOS was for its. TNG had a fantastic cast, but the quality of writing ranged too much. Its best episodes are easily among trek's best, but its worst are bottom of the self sealing stem bolt barrel.

I think DS9 greatly benefitted from being in the shadow of TNG and VOY, in that Berman's attention was largely pulled away from it.