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| Star Trek: The Next Generation | |
|---|---|
 Star Trek: The Next Generation intertitle | |
| Format | Science fiction |
| Created by | Gene Roddenberry |
| Starring | see below |
| Opening theme | Alexander Courage Jerry Goldsmith |
| Ending theme | Jerry Goldsmith |
| Country of origin |  United States
|
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 7 |
| No. of episodes | 178 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Gene Roddenberry Rick Berman Wendy Neuss |
| Running time | Approx 45 mins. |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Syndication |
| Picture format | NTSC 480i |
| Audio format | Dolby SR |
| Original run | September 28, 1987 – May 23, 1994 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Star Trek: The Animated Series |
| Followed by | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
Star Trek: The Next Generation (ST:TNG, TNG) is a science fiction television series, part of the Star Trek universe created by Gene Roddenberry. Set in the 24th century, about 80 years after the original Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation features a new crew and a new starship Enterprise. It premiered the week of September 28, 1987 to some 27 million viewersStar Trek TNG: An Oral History Entertainment Weekly, 2007/09/24. Retrieved on 2007/09/25. with the two-hour pilot "Encounter at Farpoint" and ran for 178 episodes in seven seasons, ending with the finale "All Good Things..." the week of May 23, 1994.
The series was broadcast in first-run syndication, with dates and times varying among individual television stations. The show gained a considerable following during its run and, like its predecessor, remains popular in syndicated reruns. It was the first of several series (the others being Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise) that kept new Star Trek episodes airing until 2005. Star Trek: The Next Generation won 18 Emmy Awards and became the first syndicated television show to be nominated for the Emmy for Best Dramatic Series in its seventh season. It was nominated for three Hugo Awards and won two, becoming the first television series since the original Star Trek to be recognized. The series also formed the basis of the seventh through tenth Star Trek films.
Contents |
After the box-office success of the Harve Bennett-produced Star Trek-based movies, Paramount decided to create a new Star Trek series in 1986. Roddenberry initially declined to be involved but came on board as creator after being unhappy with early conceptual work. The creation of Star Trek: The Next Generation was announced on October 10, 1986. The show was, unusually, broadcast in first-run syndication rather than running on a major network, with Paramount and the local stations splitting advertising time between them.Alexander, David (1994). Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry. Roc. ISBN 0-451-45440-5.
Roddenberry hired a number of Star Trek veterans, including Bob Justman, D. C. Fontana, Eddie Milkis, and David Gerrold. Paramount executive Rick Berman was assigned to the show at Roddenberry\'s request.[citation needed]
The Next Generation was shot on 35mm filmIMDB Technical Specifications for Star Trek: The Next Generation. Retrieved on 2008-02-12., and was one of the first television shows with sound recorded in Dolby Surround.[citation needed] The filming negatives were scanned in a straight-to-video device.[citation needed]
The first season was marked by a "revolving door" of writers, with Gerrold and Fontana quitting after disputes with Roddenberry.Dillard, J. M. (1994). Star Trek: "Where No One Has Gone Before" : A History in Pictures (Star Trek (Trade/hardcover)). Pocket Books, pages 130-131. ISBN 0-671-51149-1. “"The writers were being rewritten by Gene, and there was a lot of tumult because people didn\'t know where they stood."”
Season One has been criticized as aimless and formulaic. Mark Bourne of The DVD Journal wrote of season one: "A typical episode relied on trite plot points, clumsy allegories, dry and stilted dialogue, or characterization that was taking too long to feel relaxed and natural."DVD Journal: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season One. Other targets of criticism include poor special effects and plots being resolved by the deus ex machina of Wesley Crusher saving the ship.DVD Verdict: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season One.Sci Fi Weekly: Star Trek: The Next Generation—Season One DVD. However, Patrick Stewart\'s acting skills won praise and critics have noted that characters were given greater potential for development than those of the original series.
While the events of most episodes of season one were self-contained, many developments important to the show as a whole occurred during the season. The recurring nemesis Q was introduced in the pilot, "Encounter at Farpoint", the alien Ferengi first appeared in "The Last Outpost", the capabilities of the holodeck were explored, and the history between Will Riker and Deanna Troi was investigated.
Later season one episodes set the stage for serial plots. The episode "Datalore" introduced Data\'s evil twin brother Lore, who made several more appearances in later episodes. "Coming of Age" dealt with Wesley Crusher\'s efforts to get into Starfleet Academy while also hinting at the threat to Starfleet later faced in "Conspiracy". "Heart of Glory" explored Worf\'s character, Klingon culture, and the uneasy truce between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, three themes that would play a major role in later episodes. Tasha Yar left the show in "Skin of Evil", and the season finale, "The Neutral Zone", established the presence of two of TNG\'s most enduring villains: the Romulans and, in a foreshadowing manner, the Borg.
The series premiere became the first television show to be nominated for a Hugo Award since 1972. Six first-season episodes were each nominated for an Emmy Award; "11001001" won for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series, "The Big Goodbye" won for Outstanding Costume Design for a Series, and "Conspiracy" won for Outstanding Achievement in Makeup for a Series.Nemeck, Larry (2003). Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion. Pocket Books. ISBN 0-7434-5798-6.
The show underwent significant changes during its second season. Beverly Crusher was replaced as doctor during the season by Katherine Pulaski, played by Diana Muldaur who was twice a guest star of the original Star Trek. The show\'s recreational area, Ten-Forward, and its mysterious bartender/advisor, Guinan, played by Whoopi Goldberg, appeared for the first time in season two. Owing to the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike, the number of episodes produced was cut from 26 to 22 and start of the season was delayed. Due to the strike, the opening episode, "The Child", was based on a script originally written for Star Trek: Phase II, a previous attempt to create a new weekly Star Trek series, while the season finale, "Shades of Gray" was a clip show. Both episodes were critically panned.Sci Fi Weekly: Star Trek: The Next Generation—Season Two DVD.
Nevertheless, season two as a whole was widely regarded as significantly better than season one. Its focus on character development received special praise."DVD Verdict: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season Two. Co-Executive Producer Maurice Hurley has stated that his primary goal for the season was to plan and execute season-long story arcs and character arcs. "Star Trek: The Next Generation Season Two DVD Special Features. Hurley wrote the acclaimed episode "Q Who?", which featured the first on-screen appearance of TNG\'s most popular villain, the Borg. Season two focused on developing the character Data, and two highly-regarded episodes from the season, "Elementary, Dear Data" and "The Measure of a Man" featured him prominently. Miles O\'Brien also became a more prominent character during the second season, while Geordi La Forge found a position as chief engineer. Klingon issues continued to be explored in well-regarded episodes such as "A Matter of Honor" and "The Emissary", which introduced Worf\'s lover K\'Ehleyr."The DVD Journal: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season Two. Five second-season episodes were nominated for six Emmys; "Q Who?" won for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series.
In the third season, Michael Piller became head writer, and Gene Roddenberry took less of an active role, with Piller and Berman becoming the executive producers. Ronald D. Moore joined the show after submitting a spec script that became "The Bonding"; he became the franchise\'s "Klingon guru". Six third-season episodes were nominated for eight Emmys; "Yesterday\'s Enterprise" won for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series and "Sins of the Father" won for Best Art Direction for a Series.
Brannon Braga and Jeri Taylor joined the show in its fourth season. Seven fourth-season episodes were nominated for eight Emmys; "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II" won for both Outstanding Sound Editing in a Series and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Series.
The fifth season\'s "Unification" opens with a dedication to Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, who died October 24, 1991. Although Roddenberry\'s health had been deteriorating prior to his death, and his involvement with the series diminished, he continued to be credited as executive producer. Simultaneously, responsibility for the show gradually shifted to Berman, who took over the franchise upon Roddenberry\'s death. Seven fifth-season episodes were nominated for eight Emmys; "Cost of Living" won for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Costume Design for a Series and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Makeup for a Series and there was a tie between "A Matter of Time" and "Conundrum" for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Special Visual Effects. In addition, "The Inner Light" became the first television episode since the 1968 original series Star Trek episode "The City on the Edge of Forever" to win a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.
Three sixth-season episodes were nominated for Emmys; "Time\'s Arrow, Part II" won for both Outstanding Individual Achievement in Costume Design for a Series and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Hairstyling for a Series and "A Fistful of Datas" won for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Drama Series.
The seventh season was The Next Generation\'s last. The finale, "All Good Things...", was a double-length episode (separated into two parts for reruns) aired the week of May 19, 1994, revisiting the events of the pilot and providing a bookend to the series. Toronto\'s SkyDome, which was renamed \'Rogers Centre\' in 2005, played host to a massive CITY-TV-sponsored event for the series finale. Thousands of people packed the stadium to watch the final episode on the stadium\'s Jumbotron. Five seventh-season episodes were nominated for nine Emmys, and the series as a whole was the first syndicated television series nomination for Outstanding Drama Series. "All Good Things..." won for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Special Visual Effects and "Genesis" won for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Drama Series. "All Good Things..." also won the second of the series\' two Hugo Awards.
| Main Cast | ||||
| Actor | Character | Position | Species | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Stewart | Jean-Luc Picard | Commanding officer (seasons 1-7) | Human | |
| Jonathan Frakes | William Riker | First officer (seasons 1-7) | Human | |
| LeVar Burton | Geordi La Forge | Conn officer (season 1) Chief engineer (seasons 2-7) | Human | |
| Michael Dorn | Worf | Tactical and conn officer (season 1) Chief of security and tactical officer (seasons 2-7) | Klingon | |
| Gates McFadden | Beverly Crusher | Chief medical officer (seasons 1, 3-7) | Human | |
| Marina Sirtis | Deanna Troi | Ship\'s counselor (seasons 1-7) | Half-Betazoid (mother) / half-Human (father) | |
| Brent Spiner | Data and Lore | Second officer (seasons 1-7) Operations officer (seaons 1-7) Data\'s Brother (Seasons 1 - 7) | Android | |
| Former Main Cast | ||||
| Wil Wheaton | Wesley Crusher | Conn officer (seasons 1-4) | Human | |
| Denise Crosby | Natasha "Tasha" Yar as well as Sela | Chief of security and tactical officer (seasons 1, 3, 7) as well as Romulan Commander(seasons 4-5) | Human as well as Half-Romulan / Half-Human | |
| Diana Muldaur | Katherine Pulaski | Chief medical officer (season 2) | Human | |
| Secondary Main Cast/Recurring Ship Crewmembers & Starfleet Personnel | ||||
| Colm Meaney | Miles O\'Brien | Helm/Tactical/Transporter Room (season 1-7) | Human | |
| Patti Yasutake | Alyssa Ogawa | Nurse (season 4-7) | Human | |
| Whoopi Goldberg | Guinan | Bartender (season 2-6) | El-Aurian | |
| Michelle Forbes | Ro Laren | CONN/Tactical (season 5-7) | Bajoran | |
| Dwight Schultz | Reginald "Reg" Barclay | diagnostic technician, systems engineer (season 3-7, Star Trek: First Contact) | Human | |
| Majel Barrett | Lwaxana Troi as well as the Computer | ambassador (season 1-7) Voice of Computer (season 1-7) | Betazoid AI | |
| Tracee Lee Cocco | Jae | Engineering Staff, CONN, Sciences (season 3-7, Star Trek: Generations - Insurrection) | Human | |
| Lanei Chapman | Sariel Rager | CONN (season 3) | Human | |
| Scott Trost | Shipley | transporter room/engineering: diagnostics team (season 3-6) | Human | |
| Cameron Oppenheimer | Kellog | security (season 4-7, Star Trek: Generations - First Contact) | Human | |
| Guy Vardaman | Darien Wallace | engineering/CONN (season 1-7, Star Trek: Generations) | Human | |
| Michael Braveheart | Martinez | medical staff (season 2-7, Star Trek: Generations - Insurrection) | Human | |
| Suzie Plakson | Selar | assistant medical officer (season 2) | Vulcan | |
| Julie Warner | Christy Henshaw | operations (season 3-6) | Human | |
The cast underwent several changes through the series\' run. Denise Crosby chose to leave the show shortly before the first season ended. Michael Dorn\'s Worf replaced Tasha Yar as security chief and tactical officer. Crosby returned to portray Yar in alternate timelines in "Yesterday\'s Enterprise" and "All Good Things...". Crosby also played Yar\'s half-Romulan daughter, Sela.
Gates McFadden left the series after one season; Beverly Crusher was replaced by Katherine Pulaski, played by Diana Muldaur. Muldaur never received billing in the opening credits, and instead was listed as a special guest star in the credits shown during the first act. Pulaski proved unpopular with viewers and was dropped at the end of the second season;[citation needed] McFadden reprised her role as Crusher.
Wesley Crusher was also written out of the show. According to actor Wil Wheaton\'s website, he wanted to leave the show because he was frustrated by having to fit other roles around his Trek schedule despite his character\'s decreasing role in the series.[citation needed] Wesley Crusher reappears in several later episodes.
The episodes follow the adventures of the crew of the Galaxy-class USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D. As the United Federation of Planets flagship, the Enterprise is designed for both exploration and diplomacy but is capable of, and formidable in, battle when necessary.
Patrick Stewart\'s voiceover during each episode\'s opening credits was patterned after that of the original series, but the phrase "continuing mission" replaces Star Trek\'s "five year mission", and the gender-neutral phrase "no one" replaces "no man":Dwayne A. Day (2005-11-28). Boldly Going: Star Trek and spaceflight. The Space Review.
| “ | Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before. | ” |
The Enterprise\'s crew contact and discover many races and species with whom they interact as a means for exploring the "human" condition. Dramatic devices such as time travel or temporal loops, natural disasters, holodeck malfunctions, and other internal and external conflicts often occur without alien encounters, though these, too, are used to explore issues of humanity.
| Actors/Actresses | |||
| Name | Role | Episode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelsey Grammar | Capt. Morgan Bateson, USS Bozeman | "Cause and Effect" | Was supposed to appear standing next to Kirstie Alley reprising her role as "Saavik". |
| Famke Janssen | Kamala | "The Perfect Mate" | Has since made several appearances with Patrick Stewart in the X-Men films. |
| Kirsten Dunst | Hedril/Kestra | "Dark Page" | Mary-Jane Watson from the Spiderman films |
| Ashley Judd | Ensign Robin Lefler | "Darmok" "The Game" | Rumored to reprise her role as Lefler on "Star Trek: Nemesis". Became a major character in Peter David\'s Star Trek New Frontier novels. |
| Paul Winfield | Captain Dathon | "Darmok" | Previously starred as Captain Clark Terrell in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan |
| John Tesh | Klingon in Worf\'s painstick ritual | "The Icarus Factor" | Co-Host of Entertainment Tonight 1986-1996 |
| Joe Piscopo | himself | "The Outrageous Okona" | Saturday Night Live |
| William O. Campbell | Thadiun Okona | "The Outrageous Okona" | Starred in The Rocketeer. Originally Auditioned for the role of William T. Riker, but lost to Jonathan Frakes |
| Bob Gunton | Captain Benjamin Maxwell, USS Phoenix | "The Wounded" | Starred in the first episode dealing with the Cardassians |
| Carel Struycken | Mr. Homn | Several episodes that deal with Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett). | Played "Lurch" from The Addams Family |
| James Cromwell | Prime Minister Nayrok Jaglom Shrek | "The Hunted" "Birthright" parts I and II | Would later play Minister Hanok in Star Trek: DS9 episode "Starship Down" then would go on to play "Zefram Cochrane" in Star Trek: First Contact |
| Walter Gotell | Kurt Mandl | "Home Soil" | General Gogol from the James Bond movie series |
| Madge Sinclair | Capt. Silva LaForge, USS Hera | "Interface" | Roots mini-series |
| Tony Todd | Kurn | "Sins of the Father" "Redemption" | N/A |
| Tom Jackson | Lakanta | "Journey\'s End" | Musician & Actor |
| Non Actors/Real World Personalities | |||
| Mae Carol Jemison MD | Lt. j.g. Palmer, transporter room | "Second Chances" | Former NASA Astronaut and Physician |
| Stephen Hawking | Himself | "Descent, part I" | noted scientist |
| James Worthy | Koral | "Gambit" part II | Los Angeles Lakers small forward 1984 - 1994 |
| Star Trek Alums | |||
| Leonard Nimoy | Ambassador Spock | "Unification" parts I and II | Star Trek: TOS main castmember |
| DeForest Kelley | Admiral Leonard McCoy | "Encounter at Farpoint" | Star Trek: TOS main castmember |
| James Doohan | Captain Montgomery Scott | "Relics" | Star Trek: TOS main castmember |
| Mark Lenard | Ambassador Sarek | "Sarek" | Star Trek: TOS main recurring role |
| Majel Barrett | Lwaxana Troi/Enterprise-D Computer Voice | Seasons 1-7 | Star Trek: TOS semi-main castmember (as Christine Chapel) |
| TNG Movie Appearances | |||
| William Shatner | Capt. James T. Kirk | Star Trek: Generations | Star Trek: TOS main castmember |
| Tom Morello | Sona Warrior | Star Trek: Insurrection | Lead guitarist for Rage Against the Machine & Audioslave |
| Bryan Singer | Ensign Kelly | Star Trek: Nemesis | Director of X-Men films in which Patrick Stewart (Picard) and Famke Janssen (Kamala) star in |
| Ron Perlman | Reman Viceroy | Star Trek: Nemesis | Starred in "Beauty & The Beast" as the beast and the film "Hellboy" |
| Alfre Woodard | Lily Sloane | Star Trek: First Contact | N/A |
The show\'s theme combines the fanfare from the original series theme by Alexander Courage with Jerry Goldsmith\'s theme for Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
The Next Generation has other similarities to Star Trek: The Motion Picture, itself spun from the plans for Star Trek: Phase II. The movie\'s Willard Decker and Ilia bear similarities to The Next Generation\'s Will Riker and Deanna Troi. The series\' second-season premiere was based on a Phase II script, as was the courtroom drama "Devil\'s Due".
Some sets used in the Original Series-era films were redressed for The Next Generation, and in turn used for subsequent Original Series films.Okuda, Michael and Rick Sternbach (1991). Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual. Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-70427-3. Part of the transporter room set in The Next Generation was used in the original Star Trek\'s transporter set.
Variants of Enterprise\'s LCARS computer interface appear in the Deep Space Nine and Voyager spinoffs and the Next Generation-era films.Okuda, Mike and Denise Okuda, with Debbie Mirek (1999). The Star Trek Encyclopedia. Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-53609-5. The series also established the five-number stardate, with the second digit corresponding to the season; Deep Space Nine\'\'s opening stardate of 46379 aligns with The Next Generation\'s sixth season, and Voyager\'s 48315 places it in what would have been The Next Generation\'s eighth season.
Three original Star Trek main actors appear as their original series characters in The Next Generation: DeForest Kelley as Leonard McCoy in "Encounter at Farpoint", Leonard Nimoy as Spock in both halves of "Unification", and James Doohan as Montgomery Scott in "Relics". Mark Lenard played Sarek for both "Sarek" and "Unification, Part I", and Majel Barrett reprised her role of voicing the Enterprise\'s computer, as well as playing Deanna\'s mother, Lwaxana Troi. A script that reportedly featured the character of Harry Mudd, a recurring criminal in Star Trek, was canceled when Roger C. Carmel died.[citation needed] The Romulans reprise their antagonistic role in The Next Generation, although the Klingons reappear as Federation allies.
The Next Generation introduces two characters who would later have lead roles in Deep Space Nine: Miles O\'Brien (played by Colm Meaney) and Worf.Erdmann, Terry J.; Paula M. Block (2000-08-01). Deep Space Nine Companion. Pocket Books. ISBN 0671501062. The character who eventually became Kira Nerys was initially intended to be a reprisal of Michelle Forbes\' Next Generation character, Ro Laren. Additional Next Generation characters who appear in Deep Space Nine include Q, the Duras sisters, Klingon Chancellor Gowron, Klingon Kurn (Worf\'s brother), Alexander Rozhenko (Worf\'s son), Keiko O\'Brien (Miles\' wife), Molly O\'Brien (Miles\' daughter), Lwaxana Troi, Thomas Riker, Vash and Gul Evek.
Reginald Barclay, Deanna Troi, Q, William Riker and LaForge appear in Voyager. Tom Paris, a main character in Voyager, was based on the Next Generation character Nicholas Locarno; Robert Duncan McNeill, who played Locarno, went on to play Paris.
Deanna Troi and William Riker appear in the Enterprise finale "These Are the Voyages..."
The Ferengi, conceived but panned as The Next Generation\'s recurring antagonists, appear in subsequent Star Trek spin-offs. The Next Generation also introduces the Borg, Cardassian, and Bajoran species, along with the Maquis terrorist group, all of which play a part in both Deep Space Nine and Voyager.
Deep Space Nine\'s Julian Bashir, played by Alexander Siddig, appears in The Next Generation\'s "Birthright, Part I", and Armin Shimerman played Quark for "Firstborn".
The following Next Generation cast members have appeared as various other characters in other Star Trek productions.
The following actors from other Star Trek productions have appeared in guest spots on The Next Generation as other characters.
Four films feature the series\' characters:
Three other Star Trek TV series succeeded The Next Generation:
The series has also inspired numerous novels, analytical books, websites, and works of fan fiction.
On October 7, 2006, one of the three original filming models of the USS Enterprise-D used on the show sold at a Christie\'s auction for USD $576,000, making it the highest-selling item at the event.\'Star Trek\' Model Fetches Over $500,000. ABC News (2006-10-7). Retrieved on 2007-05-10.
The series\' first season was released on DVD in March 2002. Throughout the year the next six seasons were released at various times on DVD, with the seventh season being released in December of 2002. To commemorate the series 20th anniversary, CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment released Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Series on October 2, 2007. The DVD box set contains 49 discs.
| | Star Trek Portal |
Ultima 7: The Black Gate - a computer game by Origin - pictures the knight/feudal inhabitants of the Serpent Hold fortress to be a mock of the Star Trek characters - Lady Tory as Deanna Troi and so on.
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Star Trek: The Next Generation
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Star Trek: The Next Generation
| Star Trek | |
|---|---|
| Television series | The Original Series (Eps) · The Animated Series (Eps) · The Next Generation (Eps) · Deep Space Nine (Eps) · Voyager (Eps) · Enterprise (Eps) |
| Feature films | The Motion Picture · II: The Wrath of Khan · III: The Search for Spock · IV: The Voyage Home · V: The Final Frontier · VI: The Undiscovered Country · Generations · First Contact · Insurrection · Nemesis · Star Trek |
| Other | Star Trek: Phase II · Books · Comics · Games · Memory Alpha |
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