Which is why they came up with "Yesterday's Enterprise" several seasons later.
Honestly, most of Season One wasn't all that great, with the possible exception of "The Battle," which gave us the Picard Maneuver--and no, not the one where he straightens his tunic. The writing was more than a little stiff, as was the acting, with the exception of Patrick Stewart, who had a exceptionally firm grasp on the character of Picard from the beginning of the series. I don't know who else the producers had under consideration for the role, but they certainly made the best choice when they chose Stewart.