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Ultimate Star Trek The Next Generation Trivia Quiz

November 20, 2020, 9:08 am

Ultimate Star Trek The Next Generation Trivia Quiz

Test your knowledge of Star Trek: The Next Generation with the Ultimate Trivia Quiz! Challenge yourself and see if you can answer questions about the iconic TV series, its characters, and memorable moments. Engage with fellow Trekkies and prove your expertise in the Star Trek universe. Join the fun and embark on a journey through space and time with this immersive quiz. May the force be with you!

Star Trek The Next Generation Quiz

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Nice set of questions! Some easy some you had to think about!

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Star Trek Trivia

70+ Star Trek Trivia Questions For Trekkies

January Nelson

If you love Star Trek The Next Generation series, then you’ve come to the right place! Here is some Star Trek trivia for Trekkies about the franchise’s history. Test your knowledge of the characters, starships, and series as a whole. Good luck!

Star Trek Trivia Quiz:

In gene roddenberry’s original treatment for  star trek , what was the name of the starship.

Starship Yorktown.

Who was the first actor to play a member of all three of the major alien races in  Star Trek ?

Mark Lenard.

What two stars of  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  were married in real life in 1997?

Alexander Siddig (Dr. Julian Bashir) and Nana Visitor (Maj. Kira Nerys).

What is Sulu’s primary position on the  U.S.S. Enterprise?

Which  star trek  captain has an artificial heart.

Jean-Luc Picard.

Captain Picard has an artificial heart because a member of what species stabbed him?

Who was the first real astronaut to appear in any  star trek  episode.

Mae C. Jemison.

NBC rejected the pilot for “Star Trek.” What famous comedian got them to take another look?

Lucille Ball.

What is Deanna Troi’s favorite food?

What weapon did kirk and spock use when they fought for possession of t’pring during spock’s pon farr ritual in “amok time”, who was originally cast as captain janeway.

Geneviève Bujold.

Which character serves as the head of security for the space station  Deep Space Nine?

Who created the bajoran wormhole.

The Prophets.

What type of weapons technology does a phaser use?

Particle-beam weapons.

In which Star Trek series did writer Larry Niven introduce the cat-like alien race, the Kzinti, into the  Star Trek  universe?

Star Trek: The Animated Series.

What species, known to the Borg as “species 329”, were deemed unworthy of assimilation?

In the mirror universe, what has replaced the united federation of planets.

Terran Empire.

Data had a cat. What was its name?

More star trek trivia:.

Star Trek action figure

Question: Even though Klingon is a real language you can speak now, what Trek actor help create it? Answer: James Doohan.

Question: What is Lieutenant Uhura’s first name? Answer: Nyota.

Question: What was Seven of Nine’s name before she was assimilated by the Borg? Answer: Annika Hansen.

Question: Who was the first Vulcan science officer aboard the starship  Enterprise? Answer: T’Pol.

Question: Who was the first Star Trek actor to write a  Star Trek  story? Answer: Walter Koenig.

Question: What future Starfleet captain survived the Battle of Wolf 359? Answer: Benjamin Sisko.

Question: Who serves as the communications officer in the final episode of Star Trek: The Original Series? Answer: Lt. Lisa.

Question: Which of the following was not a founding species of the United Federation of Planets? Andorians, Tellarites, Bajorans, or Vulcans? Answer: The Bajorans.

Question: Which alien race did Ronald Reagan say reminded him of Congress? Answer: Klingons.

Question: Who played Captain Pike’s first officer in “The Cage?” Answer: Majel Barrett.

Question: “The Original Series” gave us Captain Kirk and crew boldly going where no one had gone before. Who was Captain in the pilot episode of the original Star Trek series? Answer: Captain Pike.

Question: Which comedian had a role written for them in “Star Trek IV” that they ultimately turned down? Answer: Eddie Murphy.

Question: Which  Star Trek  captain suffers from androgenic alopecia? Answer: Captain Picard.

Question: What character dies in the series finale of  Star Trek: Enterprise? Answer: Charles “Trip” Tucker III.

Question: Who is the youngest captain in Starfleet history? Answer: James Kirk.

Question: What actress turned down the role of Seven of Nine four times? Answer: Jeri Ryan.

Question: Who is Jonathan Archer played by? Answer: Scott Bakula.

Question: What famous character was named after a pilot Gene Roddenberry had met during WWII? Answer: Khan.

Question: Which Trek movie featured the first entirely CG sequence in film history? Answer: “The Wrath of Khan”.

Question: What was Majel Barrett’s first role on  Star Trek? Answer: “Number One”, Captain Pike’s unnamed first officer.

Question: What is the Klingon homeworld? Answer: Qo’noS.

Question: What type of fish does Captain Picard keep in his ready room? Answer: Lionfish.

Question: Which of the following characters was trapped in a transporter buffer for 75 years? Answer: Montgomery Scott.

Question: What is Mr. Chekhov’s first name? Answer: Pavel Andreievich Chekov.

Question: What is Captain Kirk’s middle name? Answer: Tiberius.

Question: Which  Star Trek  captain loves baseball? Answer: Sisko.

Question: What medical condition did William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy both suffer as a result of standing too close to a special effect explosion? Answer: Tinnitus.

Question: Who was Spock’s mother? Answer: Amanda Grayson.

Question: Which  Star Trek  series has a female Chief Engineer? Answer: U.S.S. Voyager .

Question: Which Chief Medical Officer is a Denobulan? Answer: Phlox.

Question: Which  Star Trek  captain was forced to impersonate a historical figure to preserve the timeline? Answer: Sisko.

Question: What character asks Data if he is “fully functional”? Answer: Tasha Yar.

Question: Who was the first Kelpien to enter Starfleet? Answer: Saru.

Question: What were the last words of the last episode of  Star Trek: The Original Series? Answer: “If only…”

Question: Who was originally offered the role of Spock? Answer: Martin Landau.

Question: Which species was the first to discover warp drive? Answer: Vulcans.

Question: According to Klingon mythology, what is the place where all life began? Answer: QI’tu’.

Question: Thanks to Trek fans, NASA named a space shuttle “Enterprise.” What was it going to be called before? Answer: Constitution.

Question: Which Trek actor was shot six times on D-Day? Answer: James Doohan.

Question: Which Next Generation species was meant to be introduced as a replacement for Klingons as a major enemy? Answer: Ferengi.

Question: What Star Trek character was labeled “unknown sample” when discovered by Bajoran scientists? Answer: Odo.

Question: According to results from the 2013 Star Trek Convention, what was the 7th best “Star Trek ” film ever? Answer: “Galaxy Quest”.

Question: What was the first ship James T. Kirk served on? Answer: U.S.S. Farragut .

Question: What ship is Sulu assigned when he’s promoted to captain? Answer: U.S.S. Excelsior .

Question: Which infamous episode of “The Next Generation” is considered the series’ worst? Answer: Shades of Grey.

Question: What type of pet does Captain Archer have on  Enterprise? Answer: Beagle.

Question: Which character has appeared in more episodes than any other in all of Trek history? Answer: Worf.

Question: When was Star Trek: The Motion Picture released? Answer: 1979.

Question: What speech is given at the start of each episode? Answer: “Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship  Enterprise . Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before!”

Question: What actor from  Star Trek: The Original Series  lost his right middle finger during World War II? Answer: James Doohan (“Scotty”).

Question: Which TNG actor was so convinced the show would fail they never bothered to unpack their bags for over a month? Answer: Patrick Stewart.

Question: Trek famously reuses actors in many alien roles. Who was the first to play a Vulcan, a Romulan, and a Klingon? Answer: Mark Lenard.

Question: Captain Picard played a flute in an episode of “The Next Generation” that went up for auction in 2006. How much money did it go for? Answer: 48,000 dollars.

Question: How many different characters has actor Jeffrey Combs played in the “Star Trek” universe? Answer: Eight.

Question: What character was adopted by the Vulcan ambassador Sarek? Answer: Michael Burnham.

More Quizzes:

round gray USS Enterprise aircraft scale model

Don’t worry! There are plenty of more quizzes you can take if you want to test your knowledge in different areas. If you’re having a good time answering questions, here are some more fun quizzes about random topics, from anime to Disney to geography. See how many questions you can answer correctly, then challenge your family and friends to do the same!

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January Nelson

January Nelson is a writer, editor, and dreamer. She writes about astrology, games, love, relationships, and entertainment. January graduated with an English and Literature degree from Columbia University.

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The Ultimate Star Trek The Next Generation Trivia Quiz

star trek the next generation trivia quiz

Step into the intriguing universe of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” as you go on an adventurous journey through “The Ultimate Trivia Quiz.” With its iconic characters, thought-provoking narratives, and innovative exploration of the cosmos, this popular sci-fi series has won the hearts of generations.

As you dive into the quiz, prepare to test your knowledge over a range of areas that encompass every part of the show. From the respected corridors of the USS Enterprise-D to the darkest depths of unknown space, “The Next Generation” has enchanted fans with its blend of action, diplomacy, and philosophical thinking.

Challenge yourself with questions that delve into the diverse crew, each member offering their particular talents to manage both the great expanse of space and the nuances of interpersonal relationships. Engage with topics that examine the remarkable experiences with extraterrestrial species – some antagonistic, others establishing allies, all exhibiting the show’s devotion to exploring the unknown.

Relive the moments that have become cultural touchstones, from Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s authoritative command to Data’s quest for humanity, and the wry wisdom of the ever-resourceful Geordi La Forge. Remember the heart-pounding conflicts, the moral quandaries, and the warp-speed diplomacy that define “The Next Generation.”

Whether you’re a seasoned Starfleet lover or a novice eager to learn, “The Ultimate Trivia Quiz” guarantees a fascinating challenge that spans time and space. Share your love with fellow fans as you go on this quiz, probing the depths of your knowledge, memory, and perhaps even the occasional excursion into the final frontier of guessing.

Prepare to engage. Make it so. Your adventure into “Star Trek: The Next Generation” starts now.

Share the quiz to show your results !

Subscribe to see your results, i got %%score%% of %%total%% right.

What Star Trek The Next Generation Character Are You?

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  • Sir Pat Stu: " Time Squared " ( Patrick Stewart plays two Picards), and a dual role as Michael Williams in Data's holodeck play in " The Defector ".
  • Two-Takes Frakes: " Second Chances " ( Jonathan Frakes plays two Rikers).
  • Fully Functional: Any episode with Data & Lore or their "father" Dr. Noonien Soong. (Also see the episode " Brothers " which was Acting For Three (including one stint in enough make up to make a Klingon's actor cry).) And let's not forget " A Fistful of Datas ", where Data plays... a fistful of stock characters of the Ancient West .
  • Lwaxana Troi and the computer are both voiced by Majel Barret.
  • Actor-Shared Background : Picard lives with the specter of his domineering father, even all these years later. Patrick Stewart has also spoken openly about suffering domestic abuse from his father, a ferocious man with undiagnosed PTSD.
  • "I, Borg," in which they study a Borg drone separated from the collective. Changes them from cyborg zombies into Starfish Aliens .
  • Gene Roddenberry never liked that he used the Klingons as the "Race of Black Hats" in The Original Series , and thus made Worf as a Klingon main character and the first season episode "Heart of Glory" completely redefined their place as a Proud Warrior Race .
  • Even the writing staff were dissatisfied with Tasha's infamously underwhelming death , so " Yesterday's Enterprise " was originally written with the sole purpose of bringing her back and giving her character a properly dramatic ending.
  • " The High Ground " got banned from broadcast in both the UK and the Republic of Ireland due to a line about Ireland being reunited in 2024 following a successful "terrorist" campaign.
  • Contrary to popular belief, " Conspiracy " was never banned in the U.K. It aired on the BBC at 6pm as normal, but was very heavily edited: the scene actually ends with Riker and Picard firing their phasers at Remmick off-screen. The episode was not aired uncut in the U.K. until a few years later when Sky showed it after the 9pm watershed. However, the "exploding Remmick" scene was accidentally left intact in the 6pm showing of the flashback clip episode "Shades of Grey".
  • Bilingual Bonus : The "Harami Cluster." Harami means "bastard" in Hindi.
  • California Doubling : Lore's Rogue Borg compound in " Descent " is The House of the Book performance hall and library building at the American Jewish University, Brandeis-Bardin Campus in Simi Valley, California.
  • Patrick Stewart auditioned three times. Once for Data and twice for Picard. Once bald and once wearing a hairpiece.
  • Marina Sirtis and Denise Crosby were originally going to play Yar and Troi respectively, but switched roles at the last minute.
  • Rosalind Chao auditioned for Yar and was a favorite for the role before Crosby won the part. Chao was ultimately cast as recurring character Keiko Ishikawa-O'Brien.
  • Mitchell Ryan read for Picard. He would later play Riker's father Kyle in " The Icarus Factor ").
  • Many episodes feature Riker playing the trombone, because Jonathan Frakes really does play trombone. And the episode "Data's Day" features Dr. Crusher teaching Data how to dance, because Gates McFadden is an accomplished dancer and choreographer.
  • Patrick Stewart reciting Shakespeare. Well, they had to get it in there somehow .
  • Both Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner get a chance to show off their pipes. Picard leads his men in a sea shanty on not one, but two occasions: as an alien facsimile in "Allegiance", and in Insurrection (where he and Data sing "A British Tar" with relish).
  • Everyone in the cast sings, pretty well too. Spiner cut an album of jazz standards (and some new material) in 1991 called Ol' Yellow Eyes is Back (referring to his character's yellow irises), and his backup singers were Patrick Stewart, Michael Dorn , LeVar Burton and Jonathan Frakes .
  • Corpsing : If the gag reels are anything to go by, Frakes and Dorn were the worst offenders on set for this.
  • Marina Sirtis despised the skant uniform she had to wear in "Encounter at Farpoint" Because the skirt portion was so short, the camera could see right up if she wasn't sitting with her legs squeezed together. She also hated the catsuits she had to wear for the majority of the series as it overly sexualized her and distracted from her performance. When Troi was forced to wear a proper uniform in "Chain of Command", Sirtis took the opportunity to lobby for the change to made permanent and the producers acquiesced.
  • The skant uniform was created to show the Federation as an equal and accepting society where males and females could wear the same clothing without any problems. However, it looked silly on everyone who wore them so the skant was dropped almost immediately.
  • The cast, particularly Patrick Stewart , hated the first iteration of their uniforms. They were made deliberately small to create a sleeker appearance, while the spandex material retained sweat and oils. There was also a rather silly-looking flap around the neck, apparently a futuristic version of a naval uniform's neckerchief. Once the constant back problems and odors became too much to bear, the actors lobbied argued for a redesign that was introduced in Season 3.
  • " Patrick Stewart WILL NEVER BE MENTIONED AGAIN in connection with Star Trek! " — actual memo from Gene Roddenberry . Fortunately, Patrick had a champion in Rick Berman, director Corey Allan, and others who helped rig the auditions in his favor. From the Blu-Ray TNG reunion: Michael Dorn : Two seasons later , he's like, "...what is he still doing here?!" Jonathan Frakes : "I told them NO!"
  • With the high profile of The Next Generation securing his position, Roddenberry was able to leverage more control over the tie-ins set inside his universe. His archivist, Richard Arnold, immediately began cleaning house. The on-going DC Comics Star Trek series was immediately cancelled and retconned, replaced with a follow-up that would be much more in tune with the TV series. (Plus one that didn’t deal in as many original or “non-canon” characters.) Arnold also went to work on the novels , bringing his strict editorial sensibilities to bear. Arnold has had a number of choice comments about how he views the writers of tie-in materials, going to far as to suggest that many of the tie-in writers “had never written Star Trek ”.
  • Rick Berman was installed on the show by the studio as a way to keep a handle on the show: keep it under-budget, make sure that the scripts were done on time, filter out any adult material. Ultimately, Berman ended up in control because he played the politics game more effectively, season 2 showrunner Maurice Hurley lost his patience dealing with Gene Roddenberry and quit, and Gene was completely toothless at this time, having driven away all of his allies and handed creative control over to his lawyer, Leonard Maizlish. Maizlish is the big bogeyman of the Trek world. However, he is credited with keeping the name "Data", casting John de Lancie and hiring Hurley, which resulted in the debut of the Borg.
  • One of Ron Moore 's complaints about TNG was that the characters were not allowed to breathe as individuals or embrace other cultures besides Starfleet. You can almost smell his disdain in episodes he penned himself.
  • According to his book, Resistance is Futile: Assimilating Star Trek , Ira Behr had similar frustrations. Even after Gene passed away, his in-house directorial style lingered and made it difficult to affect lasting change on any of these characters. Both Ira and Moore would jump ship to DS9 . That show was scripted in large part as an adolescent reaction to TNG and Gene's somewhat cranky views.
  • Creator's Apathy : Patrick Stewart only joined the show for a paycheck after his agent insisted the show wouldn't last past a season; this is why he never bothered with Picard's French accent and simply used his regular voice. note  Patrick Stewart later claimed in an interview that producers tested having him speak with a French accent but the result was so ridiculous that they let him speak with his regular voice. However, he grew to love the show and cast as the show progressed and the scripts improved.
  • The cast hated " Angel One " and demanded changes. Believe it or not, the first draft was even more sexist. There's no salvaging " Code of Honor ", though.
  • Wil Wheaton was just as annoyed with his character as everyone else and bore the brunt of obnoxious fans yelling at him over it. He had softened on the role over time, especially as he realized he didn't appreciate the job as he should have and that frustration blended into phoning in his performance note  he noted he was given a great scene in "Family" where Wesley watches a holographic message from his father but since he was set to leave the show in a few episodes he didn't give it the effort it deserved and being disrespectful to the cast and crew .
  • Troi was almost written out after the first season because the writers didn't know what to do with her. When the show lost its other female castmembers, she was kept on.
  • Wil Wheaton grew to hate Wesley, joking that he finally understood why he got so much hate mail upon rewatching the series.
  • Descended Creator : Roddenberry's wife Majel Barrett , who also played Lwaxana Troi, owned a great deal of the rights and was one of the chief executives owning Star Trek after her husband's death.
  • Development Gag : " The Schizoid Man " was originally to have guest-starred Patrick McGoohan ; the title of the episode is the same as that of an episode from his famous series The Prisoner (1967) . Even though McGoohan did not appear in the episode, the title remained unchanged as a tribute.
  • Directed by Cast Member : Stewart, Frakes, Burton and McFadden all directed episodes. McFadden also choreographed the dance sequences in " Data's Day ", Frakes directed two of the movies, and Dorn directed several episodes of DS9 .
  • Disabled Character, Disabled Actor : Stage actor Howie Seago, who is Deaf in real life note  as well as a heavy Usenet groups poster, which helped him get the role as well as talk about doing the role online, too , played the deaf negotiator, Riva, in season 2's "Loud As A Whisper." The episode was actually Seago's idea; he'd approached the producers about disability representation, and cast and crew worked closely with him to create the episode. Notably, they rewrote the original ending, where Riva somehow learns to speak, after Seago objected. Howie Seago: I told them I couldn't do that because it would perpetuate the psychological harm that's done now in forcing deaf children to use their voice whether they can or not. I didn't want hearing parents to use the show to perpetuate the oppression of their children. And they [the producers] understood that. I was expecting them to be more intractable. That was a real, honest-to-God relief for me and a credit to the producers, not only in accepting the idea but in executing and designing it properly.
  • One of the franchise's all-time greatest lump-in-the-throat moments comes in "Relics" when Scotty drinks a toast To Absent Friends on the holodeck recreation of the TOS bridge. Part of what makes the moment so powerful is the fact that James Doohan hadn't seen the recreated set before filming, the look of amazement on Scotty's face is his very real reaction to being back on the Enterprise for the first time in many years.
  • Is what got Patrick Stewart an audition in the first place! The casting director saw him in a play and wanted him to try out, but Roddenberry was against it - feeling Stewart was too old and too bald to play Picard. Rick Berman admitted to also having doubts, but he was at least willing to give Stewart a shot. Berman, the casting director and production manager Robert H. Justman kept pressuring Roddenberry until he finally relented to seeing Stewart audition.
  • A minor example having to do with the score. " The Drumhead " is the last episode to be scored by Ron Jones before the brilliant Rick Berman (not the soundest policy maker in the Trek franchise) fired him to ‘ try out new composers. ’ There’s a reason why people vividly remember the score to " The Best of Both Worlds " but why nobody remembers anything from the last three seasons of TNG. It wasn't until the latter half of Star Trek: Enterprise — barring the odd one-off composer managing to produce a decent score, and then usually being banned from working on the show again — that the composers were finally allowed to produce anything other than Berman's favored "sonic wallpaper."
  • Believe it or not, Riker's beard was the subject of intense meddling, with Rick Berman and Gene Roddenberry literally drawing on Jonathan Frakes' face as they tried to figure out how they wanted it to be styled. This went on for weeks, with bits being shaved off and hair being glued back on , until everyone decided (six episodes into Season 2) that they found a style that worked. Then Paramount issued a memo saying that they wanted the beard to be "reduced by 2%" .
  • This hit a lot of episodes in the first two seasons, as there was a rule that a writer was only allowed to produce two drafts of any given script before the showrunner (Roddenberry early on, then Maurice Hurley until the end of Season 2) took over all further rewrites. Michael Piller quickly ditched that rule after he came on-board as showrunner a few episodes into Season 3.
  • Executive Veto : Apparently Tracey Tormé has originally wanted to include an Andorian in " Conspiracy ", but was informed by a producer (probably Berman) that, “We don’t do antennae on this show.” As such, the Bolians were rolled in as a compromise: blue, antennae-less aliens. Later, DS9 writer and producer Robert Hewitt Wolfe reported that producer Rick Berman did not care for the antennae, and noted that, “if we’d been allowed to, I guarantee we’d’ve put an Andorian on the show so fast your head would’ve spun.“ The Andorians were finally given their day on Enterprise , appearing in several episodes throughout the series.
  • Exiled from Continuity : Gene Roddenberry originally ruled that none of the TOS races and worlds (Vulcans, Klingons, Romulans...) would appear in TNG. The original characters as well as their possible offspring were also forbidden. This rule was obviously relaxed from the start, with the presence of Worf and Bones McCoy in the pilot, and totally rejected by the third season which featured stories centering on all three races.
  • Fake Brit : Daniel Davis , who played a hologram of Professor James Moriarty and Niles, the snide British butler on The Nanny , hails from the Royal House of Arkansas.
  • It goes without saying that Patrick Stewart is, shocker, not a Frenchman despite all the pepperings of " Merde " into his lines.
  • Keiko is from Japan; Rosalind Chao is Chinese-American. Funnily enough, her 12-year-old self in " Rascals " was played by Caroline Junko King, a Japanese-American, thus getting the ethnicity right.
  • Falsely Advertised Accuracy : In "I, Borg", Guinan and Picard are fencing. They are wearing epee costumes, using epee rules, however, the two are clearly using foils. Especially annoying because the writers did their research the last time Picard fenced in-show and had the correct weapons.
  • Friendship on the Set : The entire cast became as close as their characters, as they would be special guests at various weddings and birthday parties, while often treating convention appearances as family reunions.
  • Funny Character, Boring Actor : Inverted with Brent Spiner 's Data, a completely emotionless character played by an utter goofball of an actor.
  • David Gerrold's unmade episode "Blood and Fire", which would have been an AIDS allegory, with Regulan bloodworm infections being one stage in an invasive alien parasites' life cycle. There are many versions of the story of why this particular episode was never filmed. Gerrold had originally written two (very, very subtly) gay characters into the story, and was later pressured to remove these characters, and the script was rewritten several times (eventually it became a story about zombie infection) before it was dropped, even after the reference to the two gay characters had been removed several drafts ago.
  • Another episode with similar themes was planned. It involved Wesley Crusher making friends with an alien cadet named "Los", who was from a species who could change sex at will. This would have led them into having a sort of LGBT style relationship, with the episode exploring complex sexual themes. It was pitched by Rene Echevarria, but rejected likely for being too sexual and outside of mainstream audiences comfort zone (which resulted in a gay couple being axed by Echevarria's first episode "The Offspring").
  • At one stage, Geordi was going to be gay.

    H-S 

  • Harpo Does Something Funny : Joe Piscopo was reportedly solely responsible for his character's dialogue and jokes in " The Outrageous Okona ".
  • Hide Your Pregnancy : Gates McFadden was pregnant throughout season 4, including during " Remember Me " which contained a couple of physically demanding stunts that she performed herself (she wasn't aware she was pregnant at that point). Later in the season she is shown almost exclusively wearing her "lab coat" and/or being filmed from the sternum up. Fortunately, Crusher often did wear her lab coat outside of the medical bay, so her sudden constant use of it wasn't quite as noticeable as this trope usually is.
  • Denise Crosby was told up front that her character was not going to get much screentime, and because her bridge station was directly behind the captain, she would spend all day on set with few lines and often just her legs in the frame . This encouraged her to request to be written out.
  • Gates McFadden was vocal about the sexism and racism that turned up in the first season (especially " Code of Honor "), which she attributed to her time in a theater conservatory that encouraged such feedback. This did not help the already difficult writers room (they notoriously went through dozens of writers, many of whom were hired and fired in the same week), and once Maurice Hurley took control for the second season he demanded that she be fired. Once Hurley left and Michael Piller took over in the third season he convinced the execs and McFadden herself to return.
  • Patrick Stewart was uncertain of how successful the show would be, and did not settle into his apartment for years. He was also finicky about being a noted Shakespearean actor in a sci-fi show, and would berate the rest of the cast for joking around in between takes. Famously, when the cast said they were just having fun, his response was a very terse " And where in our contract does it say we are here to have 'fun'? " (another incident was more understandable, during a documentary/interview before the show aired the production allowed one of the interviewers to wear his costume, which he did not appreciate). He eventually lightened up and joined in the joking and pranking , although the cast still gives him grief over the " fun " line.
  • Diana Muldaur left after a single season due to hostility to her presence behind the scenes. She later stated, "Everybody was out for themselves. I don't think they were happy to have me there."
  • A VERY rare positive example: The Next Level was a Blu-Ray disc containing four episodes from the series to showcase the restoration work to make it HD. One of the episodes, " Sins of the Father ", had a 13 second portion (of Dr. Crusher telling Riker about Worf's nanny) that was upconverted from the standard definition tape because the restoration team couldn't find the original film for that section. After that disc was released, they found the film and had a true HD version of the portion in the episode in time for the Season 3 Blu-Ray release and is the version released on Netflix and CBS. In terms of the version with the 13 seconds upconverted from the SD tape, it will likely be gone if and when the Next Level disc goes out of print. As for this being a rare positive example... well, if you had a choice, would you take the version where 13 seconds are a (relatively well done) upconversion or the one that's completely HD? To make it better, the Season 1 set has a documentary about the restoration that talks about the story behind those 13 seconds, meaning the clip can still be seen for historical reference.
  • Killed by Request : Denise Crosby wasn't interested in continuing with the series, and requested to be killed off during the first season. She later regretted this choice, and came back as a guest star several times.
  • Michael Dorn often resembles his character during cast reunions. Also, having to modulate his voice for Worf's baritone caused Dorn's real-life (nasally) voice to dip several octaves.
  • In the William Shatner documentary The Captains , Patrick Stewart 's behind-the-scenes experiences at TNG share an odd similarity with his character. Stewart, who was stressed out over succeeding the stars of TOS and his long hours, got the cast together and told them to quit goofing off between takes (" We're not here to HAVE FUN!! "); his castmates never let him live that down. In the long run, TNG taught him to do good work and have fun doing it. This is mirrored by Picard's final line of the show when he joins the Bridge Officers' poker game.
  • Memorial Character : Geordi LaForge , who is named after George LaForge , a disabled Star Trek: The Original Series fan who died in 1975.
  • The figures boasted superior sculpting and articulation (though sitting down looked slightly unnatural), there were aliens and villains right in the first run , and the line made incredibly creative use of electronics, with sound effects taken directly from the show! What's more, the show itself provided more than ample inspiration for variants, including the "Holodeck Adventures" line.
  • Playmates also produced ship toys... gigantic ship toys, often a foot and a half in length or more, with a lot of details accurate to the studio model of the Enterprise especially. These also made use of electronics to reproduce sounds from the show and were a staple of Christmas wishlists for years. A great many sci-fi franchises which followed felt compelled to try and match these toys for quality, often with shaky results.
  • Playmates held onto the license with its teeth, providing lines for Deep Space Nine , Voyager , the Original Series (which got its own badass boxed-set), the movies, Enterprise , and the first J.J. Abrams movie.
  • Official Fan-Submitted Content : The series accepted fan-written spec scripts throughout its run. At least four made it into production, and a few more episodes were based on premises supplied by fans.
  • For his recurring stint on the show, Alexander was re-cast from Jon Steuer to the slightly older Brian Bonsall. Whether Justified or simply a case of the production team being painted into a corner by having Klingon children grow so fast in the first place is anyone's guess.
  • Spot. Yep. Data's first feline friend was a long-haired Somali, while later ones are played by a generic short-haired tabby. This has caused some Trek authorities to joke that Spot is a shapeshifter in disguise , or else lost his fur in a transporter accident.
  • Not only that, but Spot changed genders midway through Season 7. In one episode, Data is letting Worf take care of Spot, repeatedly referring to the cat as male: "And you must talk to him. Tell him he is a pretty cat. And a good cat." Only a few episodes later, Spot was suddenly female. And pregnant!
  • It's old news now, but Dwight Schultz 's transition from the half-deranged (and so half-sane! ) "Howlin' Mad" Murdoch to the buttoned-down, mousey Reginald "Reg" Barclay was a novelty indeed. It paid off: Barclay is equally as — if not more — famous as his Star-Making Role on The A-Team .
  • Brent Spiner was primarily a comedic actor before being cast as Data. Of all the TNG regulars, Spiner probably goofed off the most between takes, which is why Data is always wearing a semi-menacing grin in behind-the-scenes footage. However, he got to cut loose in " The Outrageous Okona ", which had Data practicing his Henny Youngman routine in a comedy club.
  • TNG had a habit of casting notable TV "bad guys" in benign or heroic roles. Jonathan Frakes is the biggest example, as his career up to that point had been almost entirely villain roles. Others include Harry Groener as Tam Elbrun, John Vickery as Andrus Hagan (he'll be back as a backstabbing Gul in DS9 's "Final Chapter"), Ronny Cox as Captain Jellico, Christopher McDonald as Richard Castillo, Paul Sorvino as Worf's brother Nikolai, Robert Knepper as Wyatt Miller (he would later play the heavy in VOY's "Dragon's Teeth"), and Spencer Garrett as Simon Tarses (he would go on to play one of the killer holograms in VOY's "Flesh and Blood"). No such luck for Marc Alaimo, though; he played four bad guys!
  • Whoopi Goldberg was a huge fan of the original series and has specifically named Nichelle Nichols as her inspiration for acting. Just before the second season entered production, she called Roddenberry, saying "I am a Star Trek fan, I was a Star Trek fan long before I was ever Whoopi Goldberg and I'm wondering if there's some part I can play in your show?" Roddenberry was so impressed that he re-wrote the bartender character he had intended to introduce for Goldberg.
  • Jean Simmons had been begging the producers for years for a role on the show as she'd been a fan of the original series. They obliged with the part of Satie in "The Drumhead."
  • Makeup and VFX artist Doug Drexler (who at the time was a former apprentice for make-up legend Dick Smith) was a noted fan before being hired, and has remained in touch with the fandom to this very day. Even helping out on The Orville .
  • Reality Subtext : LeVar Burton would often get headaches from the devices on his temples that were used to hold the VISOR in place. Likewise, Geordi would occasionally mention headaches as a side effect of wearing the VISOR.
  • Recast as a Regular : Michelle Forbes played a small role in season four's " Half a Life " before coming back in season five as semi regular Ensign Ro Laren.
  • Riker was based on Willard Decker, the brash young executive officer from the abortive series.
  • Troi was based on Ilia, the Deltan navigator (though Ilia's deal in the film was the inverse of Troi's—that she exuded emotions that affected others, especially sexual ones).
  • Data was derived from the Phase II character Xon, the intended replacement for Spock (as Leonard Nimoy had declined to participate in Phase II ). Xon was a full-blooded Vulcan, the idea being that he would provide a contrast to the vanished Spock—whereas Spock was always denying his human side and embracing his Vulcan, Xon would already be secure in his Vulcan-ness and thus be more intrigued and curious about understanding human emotions. This eventually mutated into the idea of an emotionless android seeking to achieve those human emotions. (Unlike Will Decker and Ilia, Xon was removed from the film when Nimoy's conflict with the producers was resolved and he agreed to return, but his actor was allotted a bit role in compensation.)
  • Refitted for Sequel : The Enterprise-D boasting saucer separation as a feature in the pilot episode came from background materials and even an on-camera mention in the Original Series as a feature of most Starfleet ships, but budget and pacing prevented them from showing it on-screen. It was used only four times in the series and for the last time in Generations . Star Trek Beyond showed it as a feature of the original (if Alternate Timeline ) Enterprise as well.
  • Patrick Stewart, on the lookout for the next Ex-Ms. Patrick Stewart, dated Jennifer Hetrick (Vash) during Seasons 3 & 4. They were briefly engaged during " Qpid ", but nothing came of it. In 2000, six years after TNG ended, Stewart and producer Wendy Neuss did marry. They divorced three years later.
  • Early in the show's run and prior to her marriage, Marina Sirtis liked to have flings with male guest stars leading to the cast affectionately and endlessly teasing her about her proclivities even decades later.
  • Boeckaspis geordii , a trilobite, was named so due to its eye ridge's resemblance to Jordi's visor.
  • Bolianus is a genus of beetles with a long groove along their heads that resembles the characteristic ridge running down the Bolians' faces.
  • Separated-at-Birth Casting : Most of the actors playing blood relatives to cast members look impressively like them. For longevity, Majel Barret very much seemed like Marina Sirtis' mother, in " Man of the People " where Sirtis had aging make-up on the similarity became uncanny. There was also Jeremy Kemp as Picard's brother Robert. Then there was the child actors playing Picard, Keiko, Ro and Guinan in "Rascals," David Tristen Burken previously played Picard's nephew in "Family" while Isis Jones also played a younger version of Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act .
  • Shrug of God : Ron Moore mentioned in the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion that he'd considered writing that the ancient humanoids from " The Chase " that seeded humanoids throughout the galaxy were the same species as the Preservers from Star Trek: The Original Series , but decided against it. He said that they could be the Preservers and have it be internally consistent. Star Trek Online Arc Welded the two.
  • Star-Making Role : For Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes , though the former was already known as a respected Shakespearean actor, but TNG introduced Stewart to a much wider audience.

    T-Z 

  • Technology Marches On : TNG foresaw the prevalence of tablet devices like the iPad, evolved from the electronic clipboards seen on TOS , though this show, as well as DS9 and VOY , thought we'd use dozens of tablets at a time rather than just one.
  • " Skin of Evil " was Denise Crosby's last aired episode note  other than her coming Back for the Dead in an Alternate Timeline in "Yesterday's Enterprise" , with her character being killed off. In the previous episode, "Symbiosis" (which was actually filmed later), she's in the background at the end, as Picard and Crusher enter the turbolift. Just as the doors close she waves goodbye to the camera.
  • In " Qpid ", Vash has been transformed into Lady Marian by Q. As they were filming the scene where she paces back and forth in her cell, Jennifer Hetrick tripped over her dress. The director left it in reasoning that a 24th century woman would not be used to walking in 12th-century finery.
  • As chronicled in the documentary Chaos on the Bridge , Gene Roddenberry 's declining health, substance abuse, and paranoia about studio meddling led to his lawyer, Leonard Maizlish, taking control of the writing staff for most of the first season. Maizlish was hated by the show's staff and Paramount executives alike, who describe him as an boorish Amoral Attorney who regularly antagonized the show's staff. Near the end of the first season there were rumors that he was breaking into the writer's room to rewrite scripts in flagrant violation of WGA rules. By the end of his reign all of the Original Series veterans were gone, who didn't hesitate to name Maizlish and by extension Roddenberry as the reason they left.
  • The prototype uniforms smelled awful because spandex retains bodily oils more than the cloth uniforms that came later. They also gave the actors back problems because they were made intentionally too small to create a sleeker appearance and pulled everyone's shoulders and spines down as a result. Patrick Stewart's chiropractor said that the costumes would eventually cripple him permanently if they weren't redesigned.
  • Early pains with the cast, namely Patrick Stewart and Denise Crosby . Stewart wasn't convinced the show would last long and had trouble settling in as his Serious Business approach to acting clashed against other cast members, at one point storming off the set to his hotel room after seeing them goofing off between takes. Crosby quickly got frustrated as her character, chief of security Natasha Yar, was given little to do as everyone got cold feet about regularly putting a woman in danger. The producers didn't put up a fight when she decided to leave note  it's likely that they already felt the main cast was bloated and in need of trimming and her character was Killed Off for Real late in the first season.
  • Things got a bit better for the second season where Maurice Hurley took over the writing staff, but since a lot of TV writers chose to sit out the whole 1988-89 season after the 1988 WGA strike, it left no more than about four or five writers working on the show at any one point. It didn't help that, according to Tracy Torme at least, Hurley didn't get along with anybody as he lacked experience in the genre (having worked in crime shows like The Equalizer and Miami Vice ) and was as dogmatic as Maizlish in enforcing Roddenberry's will, though he too clashed with Roddenberry after Roddenberry turned in a script that broke his own guidelines. Producer Rick Berman also cited Hurley for temporarily driving Gates McFadden out of the show during the second season as he "had a bone to pick with her." Hurley would leave between the second and third seasons on bad terms, allowing Rick Berman and Michael Piller to gently steal control of the production.
  • The seventh and final season of the show would see production troubles return, albeit not to anywhere near the extent as in the first two seasons. The main issue was that the writers were simply running out of ideas, forcing them to rely increasingly on implausible and technobabble-laden plots. This was compounded by new showrunner Jeri Taylor putting a stop to the show's open-submission policy, as she felt the writers were wasting time trying to knock amateur scripts into acceptable shape and that it'd be better to have all the scripts written by experienced professionals from the very start, but this ended up cutting off the flow of new ideas at the worst possible time. Taylor also demanded an increased focus on stories prominently featuring Troi and Dr. Crusher, who she felt had been under-utilized in previous seasons, but the writers struggled to actually do this seeing how the most obvious plot routes (the Unresolved Sexual Tension between Troi and Riker, and Crusher and Picard) had been banned by executive producer Rick Berman, eventually causing the writers to resort to the Crack Pairing of Troi and Worf, something that came virtually out of nowhere and was never referenced again after the show ended. The eventual announcement that it would be the show's final season actually helped things out, as they were able to bring back several recurring characters and give closure to their story arcs, ending with a hugely acclaimed series finale, " All Good Things... ".
  • Uncredited Role : Almost none of the background extras ever received credit for their roles (usually due to being silent bit parts), most egregious including reoccurring Season 1-3 extras James G. Becker as Ensign Youngblood and Juliet Cesario as an unnamed officer (known as Lt. Baji as later confirmed by Cesario herself), and a young Teri Hatcher as B.G. Robinson in " The Outrageous Okona ", who actually requested this due to her scenes being cut. Because of this, more than a few actors remain unknown.
  • Patrick Stewart wasn't too thrilled with his stodgy, preachy, apparently sexless Captain in Seasons 1-2, and intimated that he might leave the show if something wasn't done about it. (Actually, the phrase he used according to Ron Moore was "there isn't nearly enough shooting and screwing on this show.") The vacation episode, "Captain's Holiday," was tailor-made to please Patrick.
  • Deanna Troi switches to wearing a proper uniform in Season 6 because Marina Sirtis used a plot point in "Chain of Command" — where Jellico forced Troi to change out of her usual catsuit — to lobby for the change to be made permanent.
  • The Star Trek The Next Generation Technical Manual , in its entry on the Captain's Yacht, includes an out-of-universe sidebar that says " Patrick Stewart informs us the yacht is named Calypso after Jacques Cousteau's vessel", in a way that suggests that, as far as the writers of the Manual are concerned, he should know. This was never confirmed on screen, since the Enterprise -D yacht was never used (or even confirmed to exist ), but was nodded to in Star Trek: Insurrection , where the yacht on the Enterprise -E is called the Cousteau .
  • Also from the technical manual, Rick Sternback had a pet idea for "Cetacean Ops" — literally, navigation research that's being handled by a dozen dolphins being overseen by a couple of whales — in huge underwater tanks throughout the ship. It got a mention in "Yesterday's Enterprise" and " The Perfect Mate ", but goes otherwise unregarded by other writers. The concept would only finally be shown on screen in Lower Decks .
  • Whoopi Goldberg said in the 50 Years Of Star Trek documentary that she considers her character Guinan to be Picard's distant ancestor.
  • Working Title : Star Trek A New Beginning , Star Trek A New Generation , Star Trek The New Generation and Star Trek Enterprise 7 (the latter title is explained by the fact the ship was to be known as the Enterprise 7 rather than the Enterprise D).
  • Majel Barrett , who played Nurse Chapel in the Original Series, had a recurring role as Lwaxana Troi.
  • Most jarring of all is James Cromwell as the leader of a potential new Federation alliance world in " The Hunted ", when he later played Cochrane in Star Trek: First Contact . He also played Zaglom Shrek in " Birthright ", and Hanok in "Starship Down" ( DS9 ), though you can't see his face in those.
  • Marc Alaimo appeared as a minor Rubber-Forehead Alien in Season 1's " Lonely Among Us "; Romulan Commander Tebok later that season in " The Neutral Zone "; a 19th century gambler in Season 5's " Time's Arrow "; and most notably, he played the first-ever Cardassian in Star Trek , Gul Macet in " The Wounded ". Marc Alaimo would become, in Deep Space Nine , Gul Dukat, the main adversary of Captain Sisko. The novelverse lampshades this and establishes the two are cousins.
  • Max Grodenchik as the very typical conniving, treacherous Ferengi Sovak in " Captain's Holiday "; better known for his later role as the very a typical (and somewhat dim) Rom from DS9 .
  • Armin Shimerman played both Letek, one of the first Ferengi ever shown onscreen in " The Last Outpost ", another Ferengi, Bractor in " Peak Performance ", and the better known Quark — from Deep Space Nine . He also briefly appeared in "Haven" as the Betazoid Gift Box, though it's a bit hard to recognize that one.
  • Look out for the future Tuvok ( Tim Russ ) playing a human terrorist in " Starship Mine " (and, ironically, being the recipient of a Vulcan nerve pinch. ) He also plays an unnamed human bridge crew member in the 23rd century in Generations .
  • The Voyager creators say they didn't plan to hire the same actor; once they realized they had, they considered making McNeill Locarno on Voyager , but reformulated him into Paris, feeling that Locarno "couldn't be redeemed enough" (read: they didn't want to pay royalties) for what they planned with Paris.
  • Also, keep an eye out for Phillips in Star Trek: First Contact . He is the holographic maître d' who tries to boot the Borg out of his club, saying they aren't dressed properly.
  • She only had two speaking roles in Star Trek : one of the hijackers in "Starship Mine", and the fake Romulan in "Timescape".
  • Most recently, he was told to get stuffed (figuratively speaking) by Zachary Quinto in the Abrams Star Trek movie.
  • Roy Brocksmth had one-shot appearances here and in DS9 : As a Zakdorn in "Peak Performance" and a Bajoran smuggler in "Indiscretion". His most famous role, however, is Dr. Edgemar in Total Recall (1990) .
  • James Sloyan is an authoritative actor who has played four aliens, usually with some sort of dark secret attached. He also died often : Admiral Jerok in " The Defector " (suicide), Future!Alexander in " Firstborn " (erased from history), and Jetrel in the eponymous VOY episode (terminal disease). He also had a recurring role on DS9 as Odo's "father", Dr. Mora.
  • Eric Pierpoint had guest roles in all four spinoffs: a shape-shifter who attempted to try it on with Picard (" Liaisons "), a Starfleet Captain in "For the Uniform" ( DS9 ), the Klingons' answer to Judas Iscariot in "Barge of the Dead" (VOY), a big game hunter in "Rogue Planet" (ENT), and a Section 31 honcho during the Terra Prime arc (ENT). He is probably best known for his role as Det. Francisco in the cult show Alien Nation .
  • John Vickery had a good hit rate: Going from a (mute) Betazed in " Night Terrors ", to a Cardassian Gul in four episodes of DS9 , to Klingon prosecutor in an ENT episode, "Judgement". Babylon 5 aficionados know him as Neroon.
  • Suzie Plakson as Selar, K'ehlyr, and the female Q on Voyager , to name one.
  • Carolyn Seymour plays a Romulan in " Contagion ", an alien scientist who chooses to leave her people in " First Contact " and finally reprises her Romulan role as Captain Toreth in " Face of the Enemy " (a Good Troi Episode ).
  • "Some day I'm going to be a Starship Captain!" says Rene Picard, which is almost a portent of the future since David Tristan Birkin would go on to play Baby!Picard in " Rascals ".
  • Christopher Collins, AKA Chris Latta played a Klingon Captain in " A Matter Of Honor " and later plays a Pakled in " Samaritan Snare ". Might be more of a case of You Sound Familiar.
  • Charles Cooper played a drunken and disgraced Klingon general in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier . Here, he got to play the much more dignified Chancellor K'mpec in " Sins of the Father " and " Reunion ".

The pinball adaptation:

  • Dummied Out : One of Troi's lines, "I believe they have evil intentions," is not used in the game at the request of Marina Sirtis. It is accessible in the sound test, however.
  • Hey, It's That Sound! : During the mission "Time Rift", one of the sound effects was Sub-Zero's Freeze attack from Mortal Kombat II .
  • Referenced by... : Admiral Biagie cameos in World Cup Soccer .
  • Urban Legend of Zelda : The operator's manual for the Star Trek: The Next Generation pinball mentions a "secret Video Mode " in the game note  allegedly a version of Breakout , and there are two operator settings to control it. Problem is, no one knows how to activate it, and it's unclear if the mode is actually enabled in the final game or not. It can sometimes be seen on the display in the game's attract mode, however.
  • What Could Have Been : According to programmer Dwight Sullivan, this game was to have been based on Under Siege .
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Which Star Trek: The Next Generation character are you?

Which Star Trek: The Next Generation character are you?

About This Quiz

Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek: The Original Series back in the 1960's, and a phenomenon was born. However, while the franchise is culturally embedded these days and impossible to avoid, it's easy to forget that it was not always inevitable that it would go beyond TOS and the accompanying movies. TOS had a variety of flaws built into it, and its stars were getting older and wanted to do other things.

Enter Star Trek: The Next Generation. This bold new show appeared in the 1980's and followed the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (as played by Patrick Stewart, a true Shakespearean who could lend gravitas to a boiled egg if he wanted to) and the crew of the Galaxy-class Enterprise D. The show was transgressive and diverse, with women in many major roles and a willingness to explore new perspectives. Like TOS, it didn't draw its plots from petty squabbles among the crew but from external sources and a bolder vision of what humankind was capable of. Humanity is literally put on trial in the show and the better angels of our natures are the true heroes. Roddenberry's optimism shines through, even in series after he exited the daily running of the show. TNG is rightly regarded as, in some ways, the pinnacle of everything Star Trek is about, and it lives in the pantheon of great American sci-fi as a result. So let's find out where you belong among this inspiring crew!

93 Star Trek Trivia Questions and Answers

Welcome, Star Trek enthusiasts! Get ready to test your knowledge of the expansive Star Trek universe. This trivia post is specially curated for fans old and new, spanning the rich history of Star Trek from The Original Series all the way to Discovery. With a total of 93 Star Trek Trivia questions and answers, you can dive deep into your favorite characters, ships, species, and iconic moments from the franchise. Whether you’re a dedicated Trekkie or a casual viewer, this trivia will surely engage and challenge you. Remember, as the Vulcans say, ‘The beginning is the most important part of the work.’ So, let’s get started and see if you can boldly go where no fan has gone before!

If you like TV Trivia like this, check out:

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1. Who created Star Trek?

2. which star trek series was the first to air, 3. in which year did star trek: the original series first air, 4. who is the captain of the uss enterprise in the original series, 5. who plays captain james t. kirk in the original series, 6. which character is known for his pointy ears, 7. who plays the character of spock in the original series, 8. which star trek character is half-human and half-vulcan, 9. what is the name of the engineer in the original series, 10. what is the name of the ship’s doctor in the original series, 11. what is the signature greeting of the vulcans, 12. what is the klingon’s traditional weapon called, 13. who is the first klingon to serve in starfleet, 14. which star trek series features a space station instead of a starship, 15. who is the captain of the uss enterprise in star trek: the next generation, 16. who plays captain jean-luc picard in the next generation, 17. which character serves as the ship’s counselor in the next generation, 18. what is the name of the android officer in the next generation, 19. which series features the first female captain as the main character, 20. who is the captain in star trek: voyager, 21. who plays captain kathryn janeway in voyager, 22. which species does the character seven of nine belong to, 23. what is the main starship in star trek: enterprise, 24. who is the captain in star trek: enterprise, 25. who plays captain jonathan archer in enterprise, 26. what is the first prequel series in the star trek franchise, 27. which series follows the backstory of the character spock’s father, 28. who is the main character in star trek: discovery, 29. what is the unique feature of the starship discovery, 30. which series is set on the uss discovery, 31. what is the name of the klingon homeworld, 32. what is the prime directive in star trek, 33. what species is star trek character quark, 34. which character famously says, ‘resistance is futile’, 35. what is the name of the starfleet academy’s entrance exam, 36. what is the star trek movie released in 1979 called, 37. what species does star trek character neelix belong to, 38. who serves as the tactical officer aboard the uss voyager, 39. which star trek series first introduced the borg, 40. which actor portrays the character geordi la forge in the next generation, 41. what is the borg’s collective consciousness called, 42. who plays the character of benjamin sisko in star trek: deep space nine, 43. who is the chief of security in deep space nine, 44. who is the trill science officer in deep space nine, 45. which star trek series first introduced the cardassians, 46. which species is known for their ability to shapeshift, 47. what is the vulcan mind meld, 48. what do vulcans call the period of intense mating urges they experience, 49. what are the names of spock’s parents, 50. what is the romulan homeworld called, 51. what is the ferengi’s rule of acquisition, 52. what position does wesley crusher hold on the uss enterprise-d, 53. what is 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Star Trek: 10 Things You Need To Know About The Lost Era

In Star Trek, 'arrives on Tuesday' meant 'not for another 70 or so years'.

Star Trek Enterprise B

The era is framed by two key historical moments: Kirk's presumed death aboard the  Enterprise -B in  Star Trek Generation  [sic] (the latest filmed moment of the twenty-third century) and the beginning of TNG's 'Encounter at Farpoint' (the first filmed moment of the twenty-fourth century).

10. … And The Rest Isn't History

Star Trek Enterprise B

In the beginning, I invented the term 'Star Date' simply to keep from typing ourselves down to 2265 A.D., or should it be 2312 A.D.? I wanted us well in the future but without arguing approximately which century this or that would have been invented or superseded.
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION is dated near the beginning of the 24th century. 78 years have passed since the time of Kirk and Spock.
Ralph Offenhouse: "What year is this?"
Data: "By your calendar, two thousand three hundred sixty-four."

Jack Kiely is a writer with a PhD in French and almost certainly an unhealthy obsession with Star Trek.

Screen Rant

Star trek: discovery season 5's new planet has two deep cut tng connections.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 2 has some more subtle connections to Star Trek: The Next Generation that you may have missed.

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery, season 5, episode 2, "Under the Twin Moons"

  • Discovery hunts for Progenitor tech on Lyrek, linking TNG's Promellians & Minosians in a treasure hunt.
  • Burnham & Saru evade ancient automated weapons on Lyrek akin to Picard's encounter on Minos.
  • Discovery's season 5 references TNG big & small, with connections to past episodes & extinct civilizations.

Lyrek, the new planet in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 2, "Under the Twin Moons," has connections to two different episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation . Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the USS Discovery are hunting for clues to the Progenitors' technology that can create life itself. Racing to catch up to couriers Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) , Discovery's hunt in "Under the Twin Moons" leads to a planet in the Vileen system where 24th century Romulan scientist Dr. Vellek (Michael Copeman) hid the next clue.

In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 2 , “Under The Twin Moons," Captain Burnham and her crew travel to the planet Lyrek, following a clue referencing twin moons. Located at the edge of the Beta Quadrant in the Vileen System, Lyrek is an uninhabited planet home to a large necropolis built by the Promellians, a species first mentioned in TNG. When Michael and Saru (Doug Jones) beam down to the planet, they find signs that Moll and L'ak have already been there. As they investigate the ruins, they are fired upon by an automated security system much like the one encountered by the USS Enterprise-D in the Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1 episode "The Arsenal of Freedom."

Star Trek: Discovery’s TNG Connection Explained - "The Chase" & Who Are The Progenitors?

Discovery name drops the promellians from star trek: tng's "booby trap", the promellians were first mentioned in tng season 3, episode 6, "booby trap.".

In Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Booby Trap," Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the USS Enterprise-D come across a Promellian battlecruiser surrounded by debris from a battle that took place centuries ago. Although little is known about the Promellians, they were extremely advanced for their time. The Promellians had been in a war with the Menthars for years, and the two species eventually destroyed one another in the 14th century at the Battle of Orelious IX. As Picard and his crew investigate the battlecruiser, they find dead Promellian crewmembers and realize that the ship was caught in a Menthar trap.

Despite their extinction, the Promellians' presence continues to be felt even in the 32nd century. When the USS Discovery investigates Lyrek, they discover that the planet was used as a burial site for the Promellians. On the surface, Captain Burnham and Saru navigate the crumbled statues and ruins, and soon find themselves at the mercy of an ancient automated weapons system. Aboard Discovery, Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio) and Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) search for a way to disable the weapons system, when Captain Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) pops in to remind them to think like ancient Promellians.

Picard's Enterprise Fought Automated Weapons Like Burnham & Saru

Picard and his crew encounter a similar weapons system in tng season 1, episode 21, "the arsenal of freedom.".

The automated weapons system on Lyrek is similar to the one encountered by Captain Picard and the USS Enterprise-D crew in Star Trek: The Next Generation 's "The Arsenal of Freedom." As they investigated a planet called Minos, the away team was attacked by drone devices that tracked and fired at them. Like the Promellians, the Minosians were an advanced humanoid race who were extinct by the 24th century of TNG . Eventually, the away team realized that they had inadvertently triggered a demonstration of the weapons system meant to entice buyers. Picard got the system to shut down by convincing the automated salesman that he would purchase the system.

As its first line of defense, the weapons system on Minos traps Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) in some kind of personal containment field. In Discovery season 5, episode 1, "Red Directive," Moll and La'k use a similar weapon to trap Lt. Commanders Joann Owosekun (Oyin Oladejo) and Gen Rhys (Patrick Kwok-Choon).

After Captain Burnham and Saru trigger the weapons system on Lyrek, they struggle to hide from the drones long enough for Tilly and Adira to find a way to shut down the system. After Tilly realizes the electromagnetic field on the planet powers the weapons, Saru draws the drones away so that Michael can trigger an electromagnetic pulse using their phasers. This temporarily disrupts the system, allowing Michael and Saru to find the next clue to the treasure they are hunting. Based on its first two episodes, Star Trek: Discovery season 5 has references to Star Trek: The Next Generation big and small.

Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: Discovery are streaming on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

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Why ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Built Season 5 Around a Classic Episode From a Legacy Series

By Adam B. Vary

Adam B. Vary

Senior Entertainment Writer

  • ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Renewed for Season 4; ‘Lower Decks’ to Conclude With Season 5 (EXCLUSIVE) 20 hours ago
  • ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Getting Bloody, Live-Action Film ‘The Last Ronin’ 2 days ago
  • Why ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Built Season 5 Around a Classic Episode From a Legacy Series 1 week ago

Sonequa Martin-Green as Burnham of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. TM & © 2022 CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.    **BEST POSSIBLE SCREENGRAB**

SPOILER ALERT: This story discusses major plot developments in Season 5, Episode 1 of “ Star Trek : Discovery,” now streaming on Paramount+.

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Kovich’s explanation evokes the classic “ Star Trek: The Next Generation ” episode “The Chase” from 1993 in which Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) — along with teams of Romulans, Klingons and Cardassians — learn that all humanoid life in the galaxy was created by a single species that existed billions of years earlier, and seeded thousands of planets with the DNA to pass along their legacy. (Along with presenting a profound vision of the origins of life, the episode also provided an imaginative explanation for why almost all the aliens in “Star Trek” basically look like humans with different kinds of forehead ridges.)

Kovich tells Burnham that the Romulan scientist was part of a team sent to discover exactly how these aliens — whom they call the Progenitors — made this happen; the object they’re seeking winds up being one part of a brand new “chase,” this time in the 32nd century, to find the Progenitors’ technology before it can fall into the wrong hands. 

“I remember watching that episode and at the end of it just being blown away that there was this huge idea where we all come from,” Paradise says. “And then they’re going to have another mission the next week. I found myself wondering, ‘Well, then what? What happened? What do we do with this information? What does it mean?’”

Originally, Paradise says the “Discovery” writers’ room discussed evoking the Progenitors in Season 4, when the Discovery meets an alien species, the 10-C, who live outside of the galaxy and are as radically different from humans as one could imagine. “As we dug deeper into the season itself, we realized that it was too much to try and get in,” Paradise says.

Instead, they made the Progenitors the engine for Season 5. “Burnham and some of our other characters are on this quest for personal meaning,” Paradise says. Searching for the origins of life itself, she adds, “feels like a big thematic idea that fits right in with what we’re exploring over the course of the season, and what our characters are going through.”

That meant that Paradise finally got to help come up with the answers to the questions about “The Chase” that had preoccupied her when she was younger. “We had a lot of fun talking about what might’ve happened when [Picard] called back to headquarters and had to say, ‘Here’s what happened today,’” she says. “We just built the story out from there.”

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Is a Star Trek: The Next Generation reboot inevitable?

I t's a question that has come up before. Could Star Trek: The Next Generation be rebooted somewhere down the line? Is it possible that Paramount would attempt to replace Captain Picard and the entire, memorable crew?

Star Trek: The Original Series was essentially rebooted with the J.J. Abrams' movies, beginning with Star Trek (2009). And, in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, characters we've known since the beginning of Star Trek have been recast with, for the most part, fan approval. But Star Trek: Picard recently brought back the characters from The Next Generation, making the final season of the series a rousing success. All of the actors returned to reprise their original roles, and they still fit easily back into their parts. In ten episodes, Picard brought us one long movie that could have would have been epic as a three-parter on movie screens much like other movie franchise have done. So that season proved those characters aren't ready to be retired. In fact, they don't need to be as they easily undertook a season-long mission and proved they could handle more.

Giant Freakin Robot seems to think, though, that it's inevitable for The Next Generation to be rebooted and even provides a recipe for success. But I question whether that will actually happen with original actors still in fighting shape, so to speak. The Original Series was rebooted onscreen without giving most of the original characters a chance to reprise their roles. Could they have done just as well in a new movie?

Leonard Nimoy appeared in the movie, and he didn't miss a beat as Spock. William Shatner, who is now 93-years-old, was only 78 at the time of Star Trek (2009) so he could have slipped back into the role of Captain Kirk just as Patrick Stewart reclaimed his role as Admiral Picard. Essentially, the 2009 movie didn't have to happen with a reboot of the characters. It was a choice made by the studio.

A reboot of The Next Generation would, of course, be another choice by the studio, but with such success coming from the final season of Picard, with the original characters still fresh on fans' minds, would it be a wise decision? Probably not, and with Alex Kurtzman saying he wants all the series to be different, this is something that probably isn't going to happen.

This article was originally published on redshirtsalwaysdie.com as Is a Star Trek: The Next Generation reboot inevitable? .

Is a Star Trek: The Next Generation reboot inevitable?

Star Trek The Next Generation  Episodes Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles

'Star Trek: The Next Generation' - Episodes Trivia

'star trek: the next generation' - episodes trivia quizzes.

  • Star Trek: The Next Generation

Fun Trivia

12 .   Name the "TNG" Episode, Part I     Multiple Choice   25 Qns Let's see how well you know "Star Trek: The Next Generation". This quiz will cover Seasons 1 - 3 only. Unless noted otherwise, multipart episodes will count as one. Try to pick out the correct episodes from the short clues provided. Good Luck! Average , 25 Qns, robmeister, Aug 09 04 Average robmeister 1174 plays

18 .   Name That Episode #11     Multiple Choice   10 Qns Don't fret--it's not yet the eleventh hour, as there's plenty of time to score well in this ongoing trek! Tough , 10 Qns, NEXUSDARKBLUE, Oct 09 16 Tough NEXUSDARKBLUE 116 plays

19 .   Name That Episode #25     Multiple Choice   10 Qns You've reached the quarter-of-a-century mark in this ongoing quiz series, but will a century have passed before you can master the latest installment? Average , 10 Qns, NEXUSDARKBLUE, Jan 30 19 Average NEXUSDARKBLUE Jan 30 19 86 plays

20 .   Name That Episode #10     Multiple Choice   10 Qns Nine lives didn't get you through the last one? Restore yourself back to life with a perfect ten on Quiz #10! Tough , 10 Qns, NEXUSDARKBLUE, Sep 09 16 Tough NEXUSDARKBLUE 125 plays

24 .   Name That Episode #40     Multiple Choice   10 Qns Forty quizzes deep into this ongoing series, but I reckon you have yet to be truly tested...until now! Average , 10 Qns, NEXUSDARKBLUE, Sep 16 20 Average NEXUSDARKBLUE Sep 16 20 65 plays

28 .   Name That Episode #34     Multiple Choice   10 Qns Quiz #34 in this series will have you reaching a little further into your trek memory bank! Will you come out cash in hand or leave with pocket change? Tough , 10 Qns, NEXUSDARKBLUE, Mar 05 20 Tough NEXUSDARKBLUE Mar 05 20 84 plays

29 .   Name That Episode #38     Multiple Choice   10 Qns Your scores in this ongoing series may have you sitting high in the ranks, but where will you be after Quiz #38 is complete? Tough , 10 Qns, NEXUSDARKBLUE, Jul 19 20 Tough NEXUSDARKBLUE Jul 19 20 110 plays

30 .   Name That Episode #37     Multiple Choice   10 Qns If you mastered Quiz #36, then perhaps you can duplicate your success once again with the 37th installment of this series! Tough , 10 Qns, NEXUSDARKBLUE, Jun 01 20 Tough NEXUSDARKBLUE Jun 01 20 96 plays

'Star Trek: The Next Generation' - Episodes Trivia Questions

‘Star Trek: Discovery’s Connection to ‘The Next Generation’ Explained

...And it involves a new crew.

The Big Picture

  • The USS Discovery embarks on a red directive mission with ties to Star Trek lore, focusing on the Progenitors' technology.
  • New faces join the crew on a mission to uncover an artifact related to the Progenitors in the Next Generation era.
  • The technology to create life poses a powerful threat if misused, as Moll and L'ak aim to sell the artifact to the highest bidder.

The first two episodes of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 are finally available on Paramount+, putting Captain Michael Burnham ( Sonequa Martin-Green ) and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery back on the boldly going business. This time, they're not going another 800 years into the future, but instead, their mission has a connection to another time: the Star Trek: The Next Generation era. Back then, Captain Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) once led the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on a mission that uncovered the secrets of life itself as we know it . It may have been a one-episode story, but it's now getting the proper arc it deserves; the time has finally come to learn the secrets of the Progenitors.

Star Trek: Discovery

Taking place almost a decade before Captain Kirk's Enterprise, the USS Discovery charts a course to uncover new worlds and life forms.

The Discovery Is Given a Red Directive Mission by Dr. Kovich

The final season of Discovery starts off with its foot on the door, with ties to past Star Trek lore and the return of Dr. Kovich ( David Cronenberg ), which always means business for the Discovery crew. This time, his mission is so important that it interrupts a Starfleet event, but can't be disclosed because it's a red directive (a mission of a highly classified and dangerous nature that takes precedence over all other tasks) . Captain Burnham doesn't like the idea of keeping secrets from her crew, but since the Discovery is the only ship that can take this mission thanks to its spore drive, she accepts it.

The secretive mission introduces some new faces to Discovery , including couriers, Moll ( Eve Harlow ) and L'ak ( Elias Toufexis ), as well as U.S.S. Antares Captain Rayner ( Callum Keith Rennie ). The mission was to retrieve an artifact from a Romulan science ship that had been adrift for 800 years, but Moll and L'ak beat them to it, then take the artifact to the planet, Q'mau, where the synthetic antique dealer, Fred ( J. Adam Brown ), opens it up and reveals a diary written by the Romulan scientist, Vellek ( Michael Copeman ). Even though Moll and L'ak have escaped Starfleet in Q'mau, Admiral Charles Vance ( Oded Fehr ) helps officer Sylvia Tilly ( Mary Wiseman ) obtain information on Vellek.

As it turns out, Vellek was once part of a group that—under the leadership of Captain Jean-Luc Picard —attempted to solve the mystery of the planet Vilmor II. There, they found out about a race of humanoid aliens known only as the Progenitors , who have created life in its humanoid form and are the common link between all present humanoid species in the galaxy. The Discovery's mission, however, isn't about the Progenitors themselves, but rather about the technology they used to do what they did.

The Progenitors’ Story Comes From a Single Episode in ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’

Season 6, Episode 20 of The Next Generation , "The Chase," is one of the wildest in the entire series. For the first time ever, a Star Trek episode shows Humans, Klingons, Romulans, and more together in the same scene. That's all thanks to one of the most interesting plots in the franchise, which sees these races coming together to discover the secret of their common origin. Unfortunately, The Next Generation didn't carry on with this plotline, but Discovery is finally giving it the sequence it deserves.

"The Chase" starts off with Captain Picard meeting his old mentor, Professor Galen ( Norman Lloyd ), aboard the Enterprise-D. The scholar is there to recruit Picard for a long-term mission that will result in the most important scientific discovery of their time, but Picard can't give up his post on Starfleet. Picard decides to take the Enterprise-D and finish what Galen started. He begins by analyzing the data his mentor had gathered (large blocks of numbers laid out in a sort of sequence). Following this trail, he eventually discovers that the numbers are actually a DNA sequence. On the planet, Loren III, Picard intervenes and mediates their conflict upon learning that both of them are there for the same reason the Enterpreise-D is, calling for them to analyze the combined DNA strands they have. They learn that those are all part of a puzzle, with each sequence complementing one another, but that there are still missing pieces.

The Enterprise-D follows the Cardassians to Vilmor II with the Klingon emissary on board, and they find out the planet has lichen growing on the dried-up ocean floor. Discreetly, Dr. Beverly Crusher ( Gates McFadden ) inserts all the DNA samples they now have onto her tricorder, which then projects the recording of a humanoid woman ( Salome Jens ). Thankfully, everyone stops arguing to listen to the projection, as the woman explains that she belonged to a race of ancient aliens from 4.5 billion years earlier. Her species eventually came to terms with their extinction, but they sowed pieces of their own DNA on many planets where life could grow across the galaxy as a way of ensuring a lasting legacy . Their intention was for all those future species to come together upon discovering their shared ancestry . Cardassians and Klingons immediately resume their bickering, unable to accept that they have anything in common. Later, Picard ponders with the Romulans that one day, in the future, perhaps all species will learn to coexist for the sake of their shared ancestry.

Where Does This Leave Captain Burnham and the Discovery Crew?

The race of ancient humanoids is never named onscreen, but they are referred to as the Progenitors from then on. With Discovery finally finishing this loose thread in Star Trek lore, it's important to ponder that the Progenitors must have used powerful tech to sow their DNA across the galaxy, which is what the overall plot of the season is going to be. The technology to create life is powerful by definition , and can be used for terrible things if it falls in the wrong hands. Right now, Moll and L'ak have the diary, but they're unwilling to cooperate with the Federation after a failed negotiation attempt by Cleveland "Book" Booker ( David Ajala ). However, they're looking to sell the diary to the highest bidder.

After the events of the first part of the season premiere , "Red Directive," Captain Rayner has been discharged from his command of the U.S.S. Antares. As sad as it is to see an officer of 30-plus years being discharged, it's also very serendipitous, as Captain Burnham is in need of a new number one for the Discovery as Saru ( Doug Jones ) is about to take a new diplomatic post for the Federation. During their chase on Q'mau, Rayner mentions that he has history chasing Moll and L'ak, which will surely come in handy . Also, Book finds out he has a past connection to Moll that makes them all but family, which is another potential lead to finding her.

Star Trek: Discovery is available to watch on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Watch on Paramount+

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    From Quiz Name That Episode #1. Answer: Timescape. After Picard, Troi and Data have beamed back onto the Enterprise, which has been frozen in time due to the temporal anomalies permeating the region, they all enter engineering, where they discover that a warp core breach is slowly in progress.

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    Almost everyone in the cast became life-long friends. At LeVar Burton 's 1992 wedding, Brent Spiner served as best man, and Sir Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, and Michael Dorn all served as ushers. Man of the People (1992) (#6.3) aired on that day. Worf's prosthetic forehead had to be changed in season two, because the original was stolen.

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    One early concept for the show used what technology to transport crew members from planet to planet instead of a ship? Teleporter. Worm hole. Rip in the space-time continuum. Which actor plays Q? Brian Bonsall. John de Lancie. Robert O'Reilly. Michael Dorn (Worf) appeared many times on which popular cop show?

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    12. In the episode "Descent," Dr. Crusher takes command of the Enterprise for a short while. The ship is being chased by the Borg and the only way to survive is to hide in the sun's corona. What shielding program does Dr. Crusher implement to protect the ship from the high temperatures of the sun's corona? Hint. Metaphasic shielding.

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    Star Trek TV series. Star Trek: The Next Generation ( TNG) is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry. It originally aired from September 28, 1987, to May 23, 1994, in syndication, spanning 178 episodes over seven seasons. The third series in the Star Trek franchise, it was inspired by Star Trek: The Original ...

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    With the high profile of The Next Generation securing his position, Roddenberry was able to leverage more control over the tie-ins set inside his universe. His archivist, Richard Arnold, immediately began cleaning house. The on-going DC Comics Star Trek series was immediately cancelled and retconned, replaced with a follow-up that would be much more in tune with the TV series.

  16. Which Star Trek: The Next Generation character are you?

    Enter Star Trek: The Next Generation. This bold new show appeared in the 1980's and followed the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (as played by Patrick Stewart, a true Shakespearean who could lend gravitas to a boiled egg if he wanted to) and the crew of the Galaxy-class Enterprise D. The show was transgressive and diverse, with women in ...

  17. Star Trek: The Next Generation

    Star Trek: The Next Generation. Share on Facebook. Share on Twitter. Share by E-Mail. Author KingGramJohnson. Time 3 mins. Type Multiple Choice. Quiz # 22,178. Updated Dec 03 21 # Qns 10. Difficulty Average. Avg Score ... More Star Trek: The Next Generation Quizzes FunTrivia Homepage. 4/7/2024, ...

  18. 93 Star Trek Trivia Questions And Answers

    Welcome, Star Trek enthusiasts! Get ready to test your knowledge of the expansive Star Trek universe. This trivia post is specially curated for fans old and new, spanning the rich history of Star Trek from The Original Series all the way to Discovery. With a total of 93 Star Trek Trivia questions and answers, you can dive deep into your favorite characters, ships, species, and iconic moments ...

  19. Star Trek The Next Generation : Quiz & Trivia game

    15 multiple choice questions on Star Trek The Next Generation the popular sci-fi tv show starring Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Levar Burto...

  20. Star Trek: The Next Generation Trivia (Part 2 of 10)

    Trivia revenge is a dish best served with a side of jerk chicken. Hi, I'm Krebs Gorlon the owner/operator of this YouTube channel (not affiliated with MrBeas...

  21. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" All Good Things... (TV Episode 1994

    Production on Star Trek: Generations (1994) began while the episode was made. The scenes filmed were on the Enterprise-B set. After production wrapped on the series finale, the cast got a ten-day break before jumping back in to work on the film. The vineyard scenes with Picard and Geordi were filmed at Callaway Vineyard & Winery in Temecula ...

  22. Star Trek: 10 Things You Need To Know About The Lost Era

    STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION is dated near the beginning of the 24th century. 78 years have passed since the time of Kirk and Spock. Things were still a bit confusing at the beginning of TNG 's ...

  23. How much do you know about "Star Trek: The Next Generation ...

    1. "Star Trek, The Next Generation", takes us 99 years into the future after the original "Star Trek" television series finished. Who was in the captain's chair for this second series of the "Star Trek" franchise? Answer: Jean-Luc Picard. Starring British actor, Patrick Stewart, as the indomitable, wily-at-times Jean-Luc Picard, this fine man ...

  24. Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's New Planet Has Two Deep Cut TNG Connections

    In Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Booby Trap," Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the USS Enterprise-D come across a Promellian battlecruiser surrounded by debris from a battle that took place centuries ago. Although little is known about the Promellians, they were extremely advanced for their time. The Promellians had been in a war with the Menthars for years, and the two ...

  25. 'Star Trek: Discovery' and 'The Next Generation' Connection Explained

    Kovich tells Burnham that the Romulan scientist was part of a team sent to discover exactly how these aliens — whom they call the Progenitors — made this happen; the object they're seeking ...

  26. Is a Star Trek: The Next Generation reboot inevitable?

    Star Trek: The Original Series was essentially rebooted with the J.J. Abrams' movies, beginning with Star Trek (2009). And, in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, characters we've known since the ...

  27. 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'

    85 quizzes and 1,010 trivia questions . Play: Mixed ''Star Trek: The Next Generation' - Episodes' Quiz. 1. "Star Trek: TNG" - "Tapestry". Multiple Choice. 10 Qns. In this episode, Jean-Luc Picard gets a chance to revisit his past and correct a fatal mistake. The question remains, however, whether it was a mistake at all. Average.

  28. 'Star Trek Discovery's Connection to 'The Next Generation'

    The first two episodes of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 are finally available on Paramount+, putting Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery back on the ...