How well did The Next Generation kick off initially?

The Next Generation got a big audience for its two hour premiere in the United States. It had mixed reviews. This was a Gene Roddenberry controlled entity.

The Next Generation, especially the first season, was Gene�s baby. So, you�ll see a lot of parallels between The Next Generation and Star Trek: The Motion Picture, which Gene Roddenberry had had a lot of control over.

For example, you had Deanna Troi, who was a counsellor, but could also sense emotions. This was the same as the character from the original film, Ilea, who could sense emotions. Ilea had had a long term relationship with the First Officer, and, lo and behold, Deanna Troi had a long term relationship with the First Officer on the Enterprise D.