Mary:
"I actually cried at the end of "The Inner Light" the first time I saw it. This one, along with Yesterday's Enterprise, and of course, The City on the Edge of Forever, were the absolute best."
Me too. On all counts. His finding the flute at the end is what did it to me.
Berengaria:
"The original had a certain charm that can not be duplicated (although the latest movie was darn good, paying homage to the original). But TNG is the best. They really shouldn't be compared, it's like an awesome Beta version, and the finished product."
You're right, they shouldn't be compared. Like apples and oranges. I was raised on the first one. As a child, before I saw my first episode, I used to read the TV guide. I would see Star Trek listed and thought it was about Hollywood stars. Only after seeing Spock's name repeatedly mentioned did I realize there was something else to it.
I don't remember what my first episode was, but I do remember how elated I felt upon watching it. It was much better than Lost in Space.