I hate Next Gwneration. DS9 is the best non TOS Star Trek.
TNG seasons 1 and 2 were BAD, and not in a George Thorogood sort of way. The political correctness was so pervasive it left a nasty smell on the TV. The later seasons were OK, however. DS9 was a spinoff, directed by the same guy who did Battlestar Galactica. It had some interesting characters, for sure.
I’m with you. Great character development, complex story arcs, and enough messiness to make it real.