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Star Trek: The Next Generation - Full Cast & Crew

• 51   Metascore
• Drama, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction
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A new crew boards a revamped USS Enterprise in the first spin-off from the '60s cult classic.

Screenwriter

Sound effects, special effects, executive producer, co-producer, line producer, cinematographer, production company.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: The cast of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation,' 36 years later

• "Star Trek: The Next Generation" ("TNG") aired from 1987 to 1994.
• It was the first live-action "Star Trek" show since the original series ended in 1969.
• The cast will reunite for the final season of "Star Trek: Picard," which premieres February 16.

The captain of the Enterprise, Jean-Luc Picard, was played by Sir Patrick Stewart for all seven seasons.

Stewart got his start as a theater actor and was a part of the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1966 to 1982. He then had various roles on British TV series until he was cast as the newest captain of the USS Enterprise in 1987 for "Star Trek: The Next Generation," kicking off decades of debates on who the superior captain is .

Arguably, "TNG" would never have been as successful as it was without the grounding presence of Stewart and his Shakespearean sensibilities. Some of the best episodes and arcs in "Trek" history come down to Stewart's performance, such as the iconic Locutus storyline and its aftermath in "Family," or classic episodes like "The Measure of a Man" and "The Inner Light."

He was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance in 1995. He won a Grammy in 1996 for best spoken word album for children for his reading of "Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf."

Stewart, 82, will conclude Picard's story in 2023 after three seasons of "Star Trek: Picard" on Paramount+.

By the time "TNG" wrapped up in 1994, Stewart had already  solidified his place in the hearts of nerds everywhere. He'd go on to star in four more "Trek" movies — "Generations" in 1994, "First Contact" in 1996, "Insurrection" in 1998, and "Nemesis" in 2002 — but that wasn't his last iconic role.

In 2000, he starred as the iconic Professor Charles Xavier, aka Professor X, in "X-Men." He reprised the role in 2003's "X2," 2006's "X-Men: The Last Stand," 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," 2013's "The Wolverine," 2014's "X-Men: Days of Future Past," and 2017's "Logan" — the latter of which got him some Oscar buzz . He reprised the role in 2022's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness."

Stewart was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010 for services to drama.

He's played various other roles throughout his decades-long career, returned to the stage many times, and secured a Tony nomination in 2008 for his performance in "Macbeth." But Picard wasn't done with him yet.

In 2018, it was announced that Stewart would be returning to the role of Jean-Luc Picard for a series on CBS All Access (now Paramount+) following the former captain 30 years after the events of "Nemesis." "Star Trek: Picard" premiered in 2020. The third and final season will premiere on February 16.

Commander William T. Riker, Picard's right-hand man and first officer, was played by Jonathan Frakes.

Riker was more of the classic "Trek" rogue, similar in some ways to William Shatner's Captain James T. Kirk, namely, his penchant for getting into trouble and getting women across the galaxy to fall in love with him. But he was also a trusted colleague and friend to Picard across seven seasons and four movies. Picking up Riker from Farpoint Station is actually one of the crew's first missions in the pilot.

Before "TNG," Frakes had appeared in various episodes of '70s and '80s shows like "Charlie's Angels," "The Twilight Zone," "Hill Street Blues," and more. But he quickly became best known for "Trek."

Like Shatner and Leonard Nimoy before him, Frakes also became interested in directing, and he was behind the camera for eight episodes of "TNG," as well as episodes of spin-offs "Deep Space Nine," and "Voyager." He also directed films "First Contact" and "Insurrection."

Frakes, 70, has appeared in "Picard" and "Lower Decks." He's also a successful director.

Soon after "TNG" wrapped up, Frakes began hosting the series "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction?" from 1998 to 2002. A compilation clip of him saying things are false/fiction has since become a meme .

Frakes reprised his role as Riker in episodes of "Deep Space Nine" and "Voyager" in the '90s, the series finale of "Star Trek: Enterprise" in 2005, two episodes of "Star Trek: Picard" in 2020, and three episodes of "Star Trek: Lower Decks" in 2020 and 2021.

Over the last two decades, he's directed over 70 episodes of television, including shows like "Roswell," "Castle," "NCIS: Los Angeles," "The Librarians," "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Seth MacFarlane's loving "Trek" homage "The Orville," and, of course, the new "Trek" shows like "Star Trek: Discovery" and "Picard."

Like the rest of the original "TNG" crew, Frakes has joined the cast of "Picard" for season three.

Marina Sirtis played Deanna Troi, the ship's counselor and an empath.

In some ways, Troi was like the exact opposite of Spock, a character from the original "Trek" who operated solely from a place of logic. Instead, Troi was a half-human, half-betazoid, which made her an empath (able to telepathically sense people's feelings and emotions). Her place on the ship was to counsel the captain and other members of the crew.

Notably, Troi and Riker were in a relationship before the events of the show, and they eventually get married during the movie "Nemesis," before moving to the USS Titan, where Riker would finally become captain.

Her mother, Lwaxana Troi, was a beloved "Trek" side character played by Majel Barrett, "Trek" creator Gene Rodenberry's wife and "Original Series" cast member. Barrett also played Christine Chapel.

Before "TNG," Sirtis had appeared in bit parts in films and was mainly doing theater in her native UK.

Sirtis, 67, reprised the role for one episode of "Picard" with her on-screen husband, Riker.

Sirtis appeared in all four "TNG" films," and she also reprised her role as Troi in "Voyager," "Enterprise," "Picard," and "Lower Decks." She also appeared in an episode of "The Orville."

She's steadily worked in TV over the last two decades, appearing in shows like "Without a Trace," "Make It or Break It," "Grey's Anatomy," "NCIS," and "Scandal."

Sirtis has also had a steady voice-acting career, lending her voice to "Gargoyles," "Adventure Time," and perhaps most famously, as Queen Bee in "Young Justice."

Sirtis will don her Starfleet uniform yet again in 2023 for the final season of "Picard."

LeVar Burton played the engineering genius Geordi La Forge.

Besides Stewart, Burton was easily the most well-known member of the cast. Ten years prior, he had played Kunta Kinte in the 1977 ABC miniseries "Roots," which was nominated for 37 Emmy Awards, winning nine, including a nomination for Burton . The series finale is still the second most-watched series finale of all time, garnering at least 110 million viewers. He reprised the role in the 1988 TV film "Roots: The Gift."

When he was cast as La Forge, the chief engineering officer who happened to be blind — a big step forward in disability representation at the time — Burton had already been hosting "Reading Rainbow" on PBS since 1983. "Reading Rainbow," which Burton produced, won a Peabody Award and 12 Daytime Emmys.

From 1990 to 1996, Burton also voiced Kwame on "Captain Planet and the Planeteers" for over 100 episodes. In 1999, he directed the Disney Channel Original Movie classic "Smart House."

Burton, 66, was recently at the center of a campaign to take over as the new host of "Jeopardy!"

Like the rest of the main cast, Burton appeared in "TNG's" four feature films . He also appeared as La Forge in an episode of "Voyager."

He will reprise his role for the first time on TV since 1998 during the third and final season of "Picard" — and he'll be joined by his daughter, Mica Burton, who will play La Forge's daughter Alandra, an ensign in Starfleet.

Burton has had a successful career in Hollywood since, appearing as Martin Luther King Jr. in 2001's "Ali," playing himself in iconic appearances on both "Community" and "The Big Bang Theory," and hosting "Reading Rainbow" until its end in 2006.

Like Frakes, Burton is also a successful TV director. He's directed numerous episodes of "Star Trek" and its spin-offs, as well as episodes of "Charmed," "JAG," and "NCIS: New Orleans." He made his movie directorial debut in 2008 with "Reach for Me," starring Seymour Cassel.

After the death of Alex Trebek in 2020 , fans began campaigning for Burton to take over as the new host of "Jeopardy!" Almost 300,000 fans have signed a petition to that effect. However, after a brief stint as guest host, Burton said he wouldn't be interested in taking over as the permanent host.

In October 2021, he was named next year's grand marshal of the Rose Bowl Parade.

Gates McFadden played the chief medical officer Dr. Beverly Crusher for six seasons — she was replaced briefly in season two.

Dr. Crusher was introduced as the chief medical officer of the Enterprise with a long relationship with Picard — her late husband, Jack, and Picard were close friends, and Picard even brought back Jack's body after death.

However, as the show progressed, Dr. Crusher and Picard's relationship evolved into love and they even got married (and divorced) in an alternate timeline. We want to see Beverly in "Picard," please — and it seems like we're finally getting our wish.

After the first season, McFadden was written out of the show due to issues with head writer Maurice Hurley and replaced with Diana Muldaur, who played Dr. Katherine Pulaski. Muldaur's character did not gel with the rest of the cast, and McFadden was subsequently brought back for season three (and Hurley was ultimately replaced with Michael Piller).

Before "TNG," McFadden was a choreographer and a puppeteer involved with the Jim Henson Company, in addition to her career as an actress . She appeared in and choreographed 1984's "The Muppets Take Manhattan" and choreographed "Labyrinth" in 1986 . McFadden directed an episode of "TNG" in 1994.

McFadden, 73, has appeared in episodes of shows like "Franklin & Bash," "NCIS," and "The Practice."

McFadden appeared in all four "TNG" films , though she didn't have a huge role in them, considering how her relationship with Picard was left in the series finale. She even joked during a screening of the season three premiere of "Picard" that she didn't remember being in the films.

Hopefully, their bond will be addressed in season three of "Picard," which McFadden will return for, especially since season two of "Picard" seems very concerned with the lack of love in his life.

Since the end of the films in 2002, McFadden has mainly appeared on TV. She was in four episodes of "Franklin & Bash," an episode of "NCIS," and a TV movie called "A Neighbor's Deception." She was also in a 2009 holiday rom-com called "Make the Yuletide Gay."

Michael Dorn played Worf, the first Klingon in "Trek" history to be a main character.

Worf was the first Klingon to be a main character in "Star Trek" — in three of the original films, Klingons were, if not the main antagonists, one of the secondary foes.

By the events of "TNG," Dorn's character Worf had enlisted in Star Fleet and slowly became one of the series' best and most beloved characters, as well as the chief security officer. He went on to star on "Deep Space Nine" for four seasons, from 1995 to 1999.

Before the show, Dorn had appeared in shows such as "CHiPS," "Knots Landing," and "Days of Our Lives."

Dorn, 70, has been in more episodes of "Star Trek" than any other actor. He'll add to his lead by appearing in "Picard."

Overall, Dorn played Worf for 277 episodes and four films, making more appearances than any other actor in "Trek" history. The character was so popular that there were even talks to continue his story in his own show, called "Star Trek: Captain Worf" in 2012, though they never came to fruition.

He'll continue his reign, as Dorn was announced with the rest of the cast of "TNG" to be returning to "Trek" in season three of "Picard."

Besides acting in "Star Trek," Dorn also directed three episodes of "Deep Space Nine," as well as an episode of "Enterprise."

Like many of his co-stars, Dorn has had a successful voice-acting career . He used his voice in "Dinosaurs," "Superman: The Animated Series," "I Am Weasel," "Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time," "Regular Show," and "Arrow," among others. Most recently, he voiced Battle Beast in "Invincible."

Dorn appeared in two of the "Santa Clause" movies as the Sandman, and he was also in "Ted 2." In real life, he's also an accomplished pilot.

Wil Wheaton played Wesley Crusher, Dr. Crusher's son and a controversial character.

Poor Wesley. It couldn't have been easy losing your dad at such an early age, only to be dragged onto a spaceship with the man who survived instead ... a man who pointedly hated kids to boot. But that was Wesley's plight, and it didn't make for a very enjoyable character. He was written off as a regular after season four, at which point he went to Starfleet Academy. Wesley reappeared in the final season for a send-off.

The year before Wheaton began appearing in "TNG," he starred in the classic '80s film "Stand by Me" alongside River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, Kiefer Sutherland, and John Cusack, all future stars in the making.

Wheaton, 50, made a surprise cameo at the end of season two of "Picard."

As Wesley wasn't a  hugely  beloved character, he only appeared in one scene of one film , "Nemesis." He didn't even speak.

But Wheaton hasn't let the haters stop him from having a successful career. He's appeared in dozens of TV shows and movies, and he hilariously played himself across 17 episodes of "The Big Bang Theory." He also had a recurring role on "Eureka," another recurring role on "Leverage," and a talk show on SyFy called "The Wil Wheaton Project."

Wheaton has also acted in many web series, including "Welcome to Night Vale." He's also had great success in voice acting, most recently voicing the Flash in "Teen Titans Go to the Movies."

He also hosted the web series "TableTop," in which he and guests play a game (like Settlers of Catan or Pandemic) each episode, which aired from 2012 to 2017.

Currently, he hosts "The Ready Room," the official "Star Trek" aftershow that features interviews with the cast and crew. He also made a brief, surprise appearance at the end of season two of "Picard."

Brent Spiner played Data, an android who was on a quest to become more human.

While most of the characters on "TNG" were almost entirely original, Data was clearly conceived as this show's version of Spock , another character who struggled with the concept of humanity.

However, as the show went on, Data solidified himself as his own character with his own fascinating backstory (Lore and Dr. Noonien Soong, anyone?) and a heartwarming desire to become human.

Before the series, Spiner enjoyed a successful career in theater , originating the role of Franz/Dennis in "Sunday in the Park with George" and starring as Aramis in "The Three Musketeers." He also appeared in six episodes of "Night Court."

In 1996, he appeared in the huge sci-fi blockbuster "Independence Day."

They keep finding ways for Spiner, 74, to stay in the "Trek" universe, even 21 years after Data's death in "Star Trek: Nemesis."

Spiner appeared in all four "TNG" movies . In fact, his character might have had the most complete arc, when you take in his sacrifice at the end of "Nemesis." He also played an ancestor of his character's creator, Dr. Arik Soong, in four episodes of "Enterprise's" fourth season.

In 2016, Spiner reprised his role as Dr. Brackish Okun in the sequel "Independence Day: Resurgence." Over the years he's appeared in dozens of TV shows, including "Friends," "Star Wars Rebels," "Ray Donovan," "The Goldbergs," and "Warehouse 13."

Spiner has also voiced two iconic Batman villains. He played the Joker in an episode of "Young Justice," and he voiced the Riddler in "Justice League Action."

In 2020, Spiner reprised his role as Data in "Picard," appearing as the character in dream sequences and as a virtual consciousness throughout the first season.

He also appeared as a descendant of his creator, Dr. Altan Inigo Soong, and as a similar android named B-4 who was originally introduced in "Nemesis." In season two, he played another one of Noonien Soong's ancestors, Adam Soong.

Spiner was announced, like the rest of the cast , to be part of "Picard's" third season, this time playing Data's evil "brother," Lore.

Denise Crosby only starred in one season of "TNG" as Natasha Yar.

Yar's death was one of the biggest shocks of "TNG" and proved this wasn't going to be like the original show — deaths weren't just reserved for "red shirts" here. No one was safe.

In actuality, Crosby asked to be written off the show , as she "was miserable. I couldn't wait to get off that show. I was dying." And so, her character was killed in the season one episode "Skin of Evil" by a malevolent tar-like creature. Yar would reappear two more times, in a season three episode called "Yesterday's Enterprise" (an all-timer), and the series finale.

Crosby also appeared in three episodes as a character called Sela, a future half-Romulan daughter of Yar's from an alternate timeline.

Before the show, Crosby, the granddaughter of Bing Crosby, had appeared in films like "48 Hrs.," "Pet Sematary," two "Pink Panther" films, and multiple episodes of "Days of Our Lives."

Crosby, 65, recently appeared in a few episodes of "General Hospital."

Crosby didn't appear as Yar in any of the "TNG" films, but that doesn't mean she's totally stayed away from "Trek." She produced and presented a 1997 documentary about "Trek" fandom called "Trekkies," and its 2004 sequel "Trekkies 2." As of 2017, there were plans for a third installment.

She's also appeared in multiple direct-to-video movies , in addition to her roles in "Southland," "Ray Donovan," "The Walking Dead," "Suits," "Creepshow," and most recently "NCIS" and "General Hospital."

Colm Meaney had a recurring role as the transporter chief Miles O'Brien.

Meaney appeared in over 50 episodes of "TNG" as O'Brien before he switched over to "Deep Space Nine," which he starred on from 1993 to 1999. His character got much more to do on the spin-off, though he did get married in a season four episode called "Data's Day," and he eventually had a child in the season five episode "Disaster."

During his run on "TNG," Meaney also appeared in a 1993 film called "The Snapper." He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance. 

Meaney, 69, continued to play O'Brien in "Deep Space Nine" through 1999.

After wrapping up his role in "Deep Space Nine," Meaney went on to be nominated for a Gemini Award in 2002 for his role in Canadian series "Random Passage." He also appeared in three episodes of "Stargate Atlantis," the miniseries "Alice," two episodes of "Men in Trees," and more.

Meaney was also nominated for a Saturn Award in 2013 for his role in "Hell on Wheels," appeared in 10 episodes of "Will" and in British series "Gangs of London" and "The Singapore Grip."

In 2021, he appeared in the 15th season of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" as the father of Charlie Day's character.

He's had success on the big screen, as well. He was nominated for the Irish Film and Television Award for best actor in 2007 for "Kings," and he has been in other films like "Law Abiding Citizen," "Get Him to the Greek," "Tolkien," "Seberg," and "Pixie."

He recently starred in "The Serpent Queen" as King Francis I on Starz.

Whoopi Goldberg won an Oscar for "Ghost" as she was recurring on "TNG" as Guinan, an alien bartender who was hundreds of years old.

Goldberg had already been nominated for an Oscar (for "The Color Purple" in 1985) and had won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album in 1985 (Whoopi Goldberg: Original Broadway Show Recording), and had been nominated for an Emmy  for her performance on "Moonlighting" in 1986, when she was asked if she wanted to appear in "TNG" as Guinan, an alien bartender in the ship's lounge who acted as a sounding board for many characters.

She actually asked to be on the show due to her "Trek" fandom, which stemmed from seeing Uhura, a Black woman, in a position of power in the first "Star Trek" series. Goldberg appeared in 28 episodes across seven seasons.

At the same time, Goldberg was becoming a true A-lister. In 1990, she starred in "Ghost," which eventually won her an Oscar. In 1992, she starred in the classic "Sister Act" and its sequel the following year.

Goldberg, 67, accepted a personal invitation from Stewart during "The View" to return as Guinan in season two of "Picard."

Goldberg appeared in two of the "Next Generation" films, "Generations" and "Nemesis." During that time, she also appeared in films like "The Lion King," "Girl, Interrupted," "Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella," and "How Stella Got Her Groove Back."

In 2002, Goldberg secured her Tony Award win for producing "Thoroughly Modern Millie." That same year, she completed her EGOT by winning an Emmy for outstanding special class series. She's also hosted multiple award shows, including the Tonys and the Oscars. 

Goldberg has consistently acted in both TV and movies in the 2000s, appearing in "Glee," "The Middle," "Toy Story 3," "Nobody's Fool," and more.

Since 2007, Goldberg has hosted "The View," which won her her second Emmy — she won outstanding entertainment talk show host at the 2009 Daytime Emmys.

During an appearance on "The View," none other than Patrick Stewart extended an invitation to Goldberg to reprise her role as Guinan during season two of "Picard," which she emotionally accepted.

Both Goldberg's version  and  a younger version played by Ito Aghayere of Guinan appeared during the show.

John de Lancie played Q, a mischievous, omnipotent being throughout all seven seasons of "TNG."

In many ways, it would've been impossible to bring back Picard without bringing back Q. The Enterprise's captain meets Q in the very first episode of "TNG," and for almost every season after he pops back in to check in on the crew (and usually antagonize them a little bit). "TNG's" highly lauded series finale is also a Q episode, with Q attempting to conclude the trial of humanity he began in the first episode.

John de Lancie played Q in eight episodes of "TNG," along with one episode of "Deep Space Nine" and three episodes of "Voyager."

Throughout the '80s and '90s, de Lancie also appeared in "Days of Our Lives," "Trial and Error," and had small roles in films like "The Fisher King" and "Multiplicity."

De Lancie, 74, returned for season two of "Picard."

De Lancie has continued to work frequently on TV, with arcs in shows like "Breaking Bad," "Charmed," "The Librarians," "The Secret Circle," and more.

The actor returned to the "Trek" universe to play Q once again on the first season of the animated series "Lower Decks" in 2020. Two years later, it was revealed that Q would play a major part in season two of "Picard" since, as Q would later say in the season, " even gods have favorites ."

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Cast and Character Guide

Star Trek: The Next Generation stepped away from The Original Series crew, and changed the franchise forever. Here's a rundown of the main characters.

Star Trek: The Next Generation represented a watershed for the vaunted sci-fi franchise. It first premiered on Sept. 28, 1987, and ran for seven seasons: evolving from almost an afterthought to one of the best television shows of all time. More importantly it moved Star Trek from a one-crew series into something far more expansive, allowing numerous shows with all-new characters to flourish. In many ways, the franchise wouldn't have survived without it.

Season 3 of Star Trek: Picard serves as a reunion of sorts for the Next Generation cast, bringing many of the show's favorites back for a curtain call. That includes both the seven "core" members of the cast -- constituting the bridge officers of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D -- and a surprising number of supporting cast members, some of whom returned earlier in Picard . Together, they have helped define Star Trek in the post- Original-Series era.

RELATED: Star Trek: The Next Generation and the Roddenberry Box, Explained

Patrick Stewart Is Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Sir Patrick Stewart was best known as a Shakespearean actor in the early part of his career. Like many Shakespeareans, he made numerous appearances in movies and TV shows. He even had a profile among sci-fi lovers, thanks to appearances in the likes of Excalibur, Lifeforce , and David Lynch's version of Dune. He earned a whole new group of fans after Star Trek by portraying Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise .

Jean-Luc Picard is captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D, and conceived in many ways as the antithesis of Captain James T. Kirk. Picard is cerebral, diplomatic and slow to anger. He prefers negotiation to fighting, and displays a wealth of knowledge in a wide variety of fields. As the captain of Starfleet's flagship, he's often targeted by the Federation's enemies, most notably the Borg, who assimilated him into their collective in Season 3, Episode 26, "the Best of Both Worlds, Part 1." The emotional scars of the incident remain with him for the length of the franchise.

Jonathan Frakes Is Commander William Riker

Jonathan Frakes was an unknown when he joined the cast of The Next Generation , though he had appeared in numerous TV series before then as a working actor. Star Trek gave him a chance to work behind the camera as a director. Since then, he's become a major creative force in the franchise, directing episodes of multiple Star Trek series and two movies, as well as numerous projects outside The Final Frontier.

Square-jawed and stalwart, William Riker spends the early seasons leading dangerous away team missions while Picard remains behind on the bridge. As the show evolves, the two men come to rely on each other more and more, to the point where Riker repeatedly turns down promotion to remain the Enterprise-D's "Number One." Though a stalwart commander, he adopts a more informal attitude than Picard, joking with other members of the staff and commiserating with them while off-duty.

RELATED: TNG Changed Star Trek With a Game of Cards

Gates McFadden Is Doctor Beverly Crusher

Before joining the cast of The Next Generation, McFadden worked with Jim Henson Studios as a choreographer and movement specialist in the likes of Labyrinth and The Muppets Take Manhattan . McFadden quit the Star Trek series after the first season, citing sexism in the scripts and a dispute with then-lead writer Maurice Hurley. She did, however, return for Season 3.

The shift reveals just how important Dr. Crusher is to the cast's dynamic. A widow and the mother of super-genius Wesley Crusher, she dispenses her medical duties with kindness, calm, and dogged optimism. She and Picard have an on-again, off-again relationship throughout the series -- fond but platonic most of the time -- which results in the birth of their son Jack two decades before the events of Picard Season 3.

Brent Spiner Is Lieutenant Commander Data

Spiner has become a staple of the Star Trek franchise, with multiple characters stretching across 35 years of programming. Most of them belong to the sinister Soong family, though he also plays Data's treacherous brother Lore and "failed prototype" B-4. Data, however, remains Spiner's signature role, created as an alternative to Mr. Spock and quickly becoming one of the franchise's most beloved characters.

As an android, Data possesses no emotions, though he yearns to experience them. His clinical observations and fantastically advanced brain make him an outstanding science officer for the Enterprise-D, while his compassion and moral compass upend Star Trek's normal Frankenstein-esque approach to artificial intelligence. Picard Season 3 returns Data to life for a proper curtain all after infamously killing him at the conclusion of Star Trek: Nemesis .

RELATED: A Dubious Star Trek Movie Found Inspiration in a Cut TNG Story

Marina Sirtis Is Counselor Deanna Troi

Marina Sirtis joined Star Trek after previously appearing on various British TV series and American B-movies. Her character is presented as the ship's counselor, a half-Betazoid empath capable of sensing emotions in others. While she aptly serves as a therapist for the crew, her main duties involve advising the captain on diplomatic matters. This makes her a vital member of the bridge staff.

Deanna Troi also has a past relationship with Will Riker, and they remain close platonic friends throughout The Next Generation's run. They rekindle their romance during Star Trek: Insurrection, and get married in the opening of Star Trek: Nemesis . Picard Season 1 finds them semi-retired and living with their daughter.

LeVar Burton Is Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge

Of all the principal cast members on the series, LeVar Burton had the highest profile among the public. He first rose to fame playing Kunta Kinte in the groundbreaking miniseries Roots , then served as host and executive producer of the classic PBS educational series Reading Rainbow starting in 1983. Geordi La Forge begins The Next Generation as the ship's pilot, but soon moves to the Chief Engineer's position. He's level-headed and hyper-efficient, though utterly hopeless around women. He and Data become fast friends as the series progresses.

La Forge is also known for his distinctive VISOR, which gives him the ability to see in different spectrums. He constitutes a major step forward for representation. The show views his blindness not as an impediment, but as a unique perspective that brings its own singular gifts. He trades the VISOR in for a pair of cybernetic eyes starting in Star Trek: First Contact , in part because of Burton's weariness with the cumbersome prop.

RELATED: Star Trek: TNG Could Have Continued Past Season 7, but Without Picard

Michael Dorn Is Lieutenant Worf

Worf's appearance on the Enterprise-D was a part of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's vision for the series. The Klingons spent The Original Series as foes of the Federation, but by the time The Next Generation rolled around (100 years on the franchise timetable), they had become allies. Worf is the first Klingon to join Starfleet, played by Shakespearean actor Michael Dorn. Before Star Trek, Dorn was best known for a recurring role on CHiPs. He became only the second actor to formally cross over onto another series: following Chief O'Brien to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Worf himself becomes a catalyst for The Klingons as a culture: exploring them in depth and adding a plethora of exciting characters to the canon. The Empire's scheming nobles and clashing houses draw on Dorn's Shakespearean background, with Worf an exiled lord fighting to restore honor to his people. In the midst of it all, he remains a stalwart friend and able security officer aboard the Enterprise.

Wil Wheaton Is Wesley Crusher

Wil Weaton actually came to The Next Generation as a better-known actor than may of his older cast mates, having made a huge splash as the lead in Rob Reiner's Stand By Me . He has since become Star Trek's de facto master of ceremonies as the host of the aftershow The Ready Room as well as numerous podcasts and other social media series.

Wesley is perhaps The Next Generation's greatest salvage job. He stumbles badly in Season 1, acting as a de facto stand-in for franchise creator Gene Roddenberry and often solving crises as a deus ex machina. Subsequent seasons improve his standing greatly, turning him into a talented but questioning apprentice to the rest of the crew. He departs with a being called The Traveller to explore higher planes of existence at the end of Season 7, though he returns for a brief cameo in Picard Season 2.

RELATED: The Next Generation's USS Enterprise-D Was Star Trek's Best Hero Ship Upgrade

Denise Crosby Is Lieutenant Tasha Yar

Tasha Yar is The Next Generation's great "what if" and the Enterprise's original security chief who was ignominiously killed off at the end of Season 1. Denise Crosby left the show for many of the same reasons McFadden did, and unfortunately, she never received a proper mulligan like Doctor Crusher did. The actor went on to prominent roles in Miracle Mile and the first Pet Sematary, as well as a long line of guest appearances on prominent sci-fi series.

Thankfully, The Next Generation finds places to bring her back, most notably in the now-classic "Yesterday's Enterprise" in Season 3. That leads to her half-Romulan daughter Sela, who becomes one of the Enterprise-D's chief foils in Season 4 and 5. Her absence haunts her former crewmates as they never quite shed the pain of her passing, and keeping her out of Picard Season 3 is still one of that series' biggest mistakes.

Colm Meaney Is Chief Miles O'Brien

Before serving as chief engineer on Deep Space 9, Miles O'Brien was the Enterprise-D's stalwart transporter chief. Colm Meaney, who played O'Brien throughout both The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , rocketed to prominence on the role after eking out a few brief TV roles here and there. Afterwards, he starred in a long string of high-profile movie roles: starting with Stephen Frears' The Commitments and others like Con Air, Under Siege and The Snapper.

O'Brien himself is a holdover from Montgomery Scott, the redoubtable Chief Engineer from The Original Series . He's also Star Trek's first semi-official "Lower Decks" character , representing the ship's rank-and-file crew members. Diligent and hard-working, he dotes on his wife Keiko and is always ready at the transporter when the away team needs a quick pick-up.

RELATED: Star Trek Theory: Why the Borg Queen Didn't Appear in The Next Generation

Whoopi Goldberg Is Guinan

Goldberg is a self-confessed Trekkie, having famously grown up admiring Nichelle Nichols' performance on The Original Series . Her own film career launched with a bang when she starred in Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple based on the Alice Walker novel. She joined The Next Generation in Season 2 as Guinan, the ship's bartender who has a long history with Picard and an uncanny knack for good advice. Her presence is credited with helping the show turn things around after the disastrous Season 1, and she returned for a brief appearance in the second season of Picard .

Guinan makes a sterling example of The Next Generation's strong line of supporting characters. The show doesn't use her unless the plot calls for it, making every appearance a meaningful one (and freeing Goldberg to pursue what became an Oscar-winning movie career). In that sense, she exemplifies part of Gene Roddenberry's formula for The Original Series' success: write meaty parts for a small number of episodes in order to attract top-notch actors who don't want to be tied down in a single series.

Dwight Schultz Is Lieutenant Reg Barclay

Schultz made a big splash on the 80s classic The A-Team , where he played deranged pilot "Howling Man" Murdock throughout its successful run. Reg Barclay is the exact opposite of Murdock: timid, uncertain, painfully shy and another early example of Star Trek's Lower Deckies. An inherently unpopular member of the engineering staff, he first appears in Season 3, Episode 21, "Hollow Pursuits," where he lives vicariously through inappropriate holodeck programs designed around his real-life crewmates.

While ostensibly a holographic expert, Barclay quickly evolves into the ship's Everyman: appearing in the likes of Season 4, Episode 19, "The Nth Degree" and Season 6, Episode 12, "Ship in a Bottle," as well as making a cameo in Star Trek: First Contact . He eventually becomes attached to the efforts to reach the U.S.S. Voyager in the Delta Quadrant, leading to several prominent appearances on Star Trek: Voyager as well.

RELATED: How Picard Cemented This Couple as Star Trek's Best

Diana Muldar Is Katherine Pulaski

Star Trek's "forgotten doctor" appears in the second season of The Next Generation , replacing the departing Gates McFadden. Unlike Crusher, Pulaski is plain-speaking, blunt and a little stand-offish. Critics note that she resembles Leonard McCoy a little too closely (both characters share a phobia about transporters, for example) and she lacks the chemistry with the rest of the crew that McFadden enjoyed. She departs the series at the end of season 2, never to be seen again.

Actor Diana Muldar was already a success when she played Dr. Pulaski, with a long string of television appearances stretching back to the 1960s. That included two episodes of The Original Series : Season 2, Episode 20, "Return to Tomorrow" and Season 3, Episode 5, "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" After her run on The Next Generation , she earned a pair of Emmy nominations as the villainous Rosalind Shays on L.A. Law . Batman: The Animated Series fans know her as Dr. Leslie Thompkins, which marked the first appearance of the character outside of the comics.

Michelle Forbes Is Ro Laren

Ro Laren arrives on the Enterprise in Season 5, Episode 3, "Ensign Ro." She introduces the Bajorans to the Star Trek universe, which is a religious species who have become insurgents and refugees after the Cardassians occupy their world. She becomes a stand-in for the oppressed and neglected, as well as demonstrating the limits of Starfleet's power and morality. She and Picard form a bond, which she betrays when she joins the terrorist Maquis in Season 7, Episode 24, "Preemptive Strike." She returns in Picard Season 3 to warn her old mentor about the Changeling threat before sacrificing herself in one of the new series' most celebrated plotlines.

Forbes spent two years on the soap opera Guiding Light before joining the cast of The Next Generation . Ro Laren was intended to be one of the leads on Deep Space Nine , but the actor declined, fearing she would be typecast in the part. The role was rewritten and became Nana Visitor's Kira Nerys. Forbes went on to star in numerous film and television projects, including Homicide: Life on the Street, 24, Battlestar Galactica, Kalifornia , and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2.

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Star trek: the next generation cast & character guide.

Star Trek: The Next Generation has one of the most beloved cast of characters in all of science fiction. Here are the major characters of the classic.

One of the best things about Star Trek: The Original Series was the incredible cast of characters, and Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced the world to all new characters who would soon become just as beloved. TNG followed the adventures of the USS Enterprise-D and its crew under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), carrying on that original mission to explore strange new worlds and seek out new life. Though the first season of TNG left something to be desired, the show improved drastically over the course of its second and third seasons and would be praised by both critics and audiences.

The crew of the USS Enterprise-D would become one of the most beloved Star Trek crews of all time, and Star Trek: The Next Generation would produce some truly outstanding episodes of sci-fi television. With its incredibly compelling cast, TNG became a worthy successor to TOS and led to the continued popularity of the Star Trek franchise. Star Trek would never have become such a beloved franchise without its great characters and the actors who play them, and Star Trek: The Next Generation added some amazing crew members to the Star Trek roster.

12 Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard

With a more serious command style than Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Captain Picard leaned into the intellectual side of Star Trek . Picard was a skilled diplomat who preferred to explore every avenue of conversation and compromise before resorting to violence. He may have kept himself emotionally removed from his crew, but he cared about every life and would never leave anyone behind. He loved Shakespeare and Earl Grey tea, and could deliver an inspiring speech or a dressing down better than anyone. Patrick Stewart's commanding performance and great TNG speeches ensured Picard would quickly become one of the most respected and beloved Star Trek Captains.

11 Jonathan Frakes as Commander William T. Riker

As First Officer, William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) led many of the away missions and took over the ship when Captain Picard was incapacitated. Since Captain Picard was a more stoic leader, Riker was meant to act as the "replacement" for Captain Kirk, the adventurous ladies' man who cared deeply about his friends. He had several romances throughout the series, but ultimately ended up with the ship's Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis). Will really came into his own over the course of the series, and would refuse multiple opportunities for promotion to remain on board the Enterprise.

10 Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data

The lovable android Data (Brent Spiner) became a quick fan favorite thanks to his child-like wonder and endearing personality. Created by cyberneticist Dr. Noonian Soong (also played by Brent Spiner), Data had a positronic brain which allowed him to process calculations faster than any computer. Throughout the series, Data longed to be human , and he tried to explore his humanity in different ways, from playing musical instruments and painting to performing Shakespeare's plays. Many of TNG's best episodes focused on Data and his presence on the show allowed TNG to explore what it means to be human in interesting ways.

9 LeVar Burton as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge

Though Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) began TNG in the command division, he soon transferred to operations and became the Chief Engineer of the Enterprise. Blind since birth, Geordi's visor allowed him to see various types of light on the electromagnetic spectrum. Not only was La Forge a great engineer, but once he discovered a problem, he would not rest until he solved it. Throughout the series, Geordi developed a friendship with Data and Data would often come to Geordi with questions about humanity. Though Geordi could be awkward and even creepy when it came to romantic encounters, he was a good friend, a brilliant engineer, and a loyal crew member.

8 Michael Dorn as Lt. Worf

As one of the few Klingons in Starfleet, Worf (Michael Dorn) sometimes struggled to reconcile his Klingon heritage with his duties as a Starfleet officer. Like most Klingons, Worf placed a high value on honor and loyalty and became an invaluable member of the Enterprise crew. It became a bit of a trope to have the alien of the week overpower Worf to show how strong and dangerous they were. Unfortunately, this mostly just made Worf look weaker than he actually was. The character would truly come into his own when Worf made the switch from TNG to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine after TNG ended in 1994.

7 Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher

In her role as the Enterprise's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) proved to be a smart, capable, and compassionate doctor. Though Dr. Crusher left the Enterprise in TNG season 2 to become head of Starfleet Medical, she returned at the beginning of season 3 and remained throughout the rest of the series. Beverly's empathy sometimes caused her to bend or break Starfleet rules, including the Prime Directive. Her late husband had been close friends with Captain Picard, and Beverly and Picard later developed feelings for one another.

6 Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi

The half-human half-Betazoid Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) served as the ship's Counselor and used her Betazoid senses to read people's emotions. Troi's ability to sense deceit made her a valuable member of the Enterprise crew, though her telepathic abilities sometimes made her more susceptible to alien influence. Although she had a few romances throughout the series, her most well-known relationship was with Commander Riker, whom she would eventually marry in Star Trek: Nemesis . Though Troi was not always given the best material to work with, she grew into a compelling character whose caring nature set her apart.

5 Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher

As the youngest of TNG's main characters, Wil Wheaton's Wesley Crusher sometimes struggled to fit in on the Enterprise. The son of Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Beverly Crusher, Wesley had a brilliant mind and eventually became an acting Ensign on the ship. Despite his earlier desire to attend Starfleet Academy, Wesley eventually decided to become a Traveler and explore space and time. The writers seemed unsure about what to do with Wesley as a character some of the time, and he often got saddled with mediocre storylines. Still, Wesley and Wil Wheaton would go on to become important figures in the Star Trek franchise.

4 Denise Crosby as Lt. Tasha Yar

Though Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby) was only around for the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation , she left a lasting impression on both the characters and the fans. As the Security Chief of the Enterprise, Tasha was skilled in hand-to-hand combat and was not afraid to confront dangerous situations head-on. Although Tasha Yar was killed on an away mission in season 1's "Skin of Evil," Denise Crosby would return as alternate versions of the character, as well as the half-Romulan daughter of an alternate universe Tasha Yar.

3 Majel Barrett Roddenberry as Lwaxana Troi

The mother of Deanna Troi, Lwaxana (Majel Barrett Roddenberry) made several appearances over the course of the series, much to Captain Picard's chagrin. Lawaxana acted as an Ambassador for her home planet of Betazed and had a larger-than-life personality that sometimes embarrassed her daughter, Deanna. Lwaxana appeared in several episodes of TNG and would go on to appear in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as well. Though she generally came across as vibrant and happy, her life was not without tragedy. Her first daughter, Kestra, passed away soon after Deanna was born and her second husband, Deanna's father, passed away when Deanna was young.

2 Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan

As the bartender in the Enterprise's lounge, Ten Forward, Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) would often provide a listening ear to the officers on the ship. As an El-Aurian, Guinan had a very long life span and was unusually perceptive. Guinan had a distinct dislike for Q (John de Lancie), and a hatred of the Borg, as they had destroyed most of her people. Guinan was close friends with Picard and only joined the Enterprise crew at his request. She developed friendships with many members of the Enterprise crew as they often came to her for advice and help with their problems.

1 John de Lancie as Q

Introduced in the pilot episode, "Encounter at Farpoint," the omnipotent being known as Q (John de Lancie) took an interest in Captain Picard and his Enterprise crew. In his first appearance, he put all of humanity on trial with Captain Picard and his crew as representatives of the entire human race. Q popped up on the Enterprise on several more occasions, becoming a bit of a thorn in Captain Picard's side. Most notably, in season 2's "Q Who," Q tossed the Enterprise into the far reaches of space where they encountered the Borg for the first time, far earlier in their timeline than they were meant to. Q would go on to appear in other Star Trek series, but he always had a particular fondness for Captain Picard and the crew from Star Trek: The Next Generation .

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‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’: Ranking the Crew, From Picard to Pulaski

Liz shannon miller.

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Thirty years ago, “Star Trek” proved it wasn’t just a story about Kirk and Spock; it was a story universe rich with possibilities, including a whole new cast of characters.

Ranking the men and women of “ Star Trek: The Next Generation ” is a far more brutal task than initially anticipated because, as the series kept telling us the whole time, this wasn’t a crew. This was a family. That said, let’s be honest. Family might inspire love on an equal playing field, but when it comes to actually spending time with people, favorites do emerge.

This is strictly limited to those who served as actual crew members (sorry, Q and Lwaxana Troi) because one of the best things about “Trek’s” approach to a military structure is how it still allows the show to celebrate individual personalities. Because as much fun as space travel is, a “Trek” series lives or dies by its characters.

17. Dr. Katherine Pulaski

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For the record, this is not actor Diana Muldaur’s fault. When Gates McFadden left “Next Generation” at the end of Season 1 (for  a variety of complicated reasons ), the ship needed a new doctor. But while the idea of bringing in a new female character over the age of 40 (Pulaski dated Riker’s dad once!) was conceptually a fresh approach for the genre — hell, for television in general — Dr. Pulaski never gelled with the rest of the crew, and McFadden’s return in Season 3 was a welcome relief.

16. Lieutenant Reginald Barclay

On a ship full of humanity’s best, Barclay was decidedly flawed. In fact, he was set up as essentially a parody of nerd culture (which is pretty rude, considering that “Next Generation” featured a passionate, perhaps even “nerdy” fanbase). More importantly, he caused way more problems than he solved and was never much of a sympathetic character despite his lighter moments.

15. Tasha Yar

A character inspired by Vasquez (Jeanette Goldberg) from James Cameron’s “Aliens,” Yar was the ship’s muscle for much of the first season… until Denise Crosby decided to leave the show. She was essentially replaced by Worf in this regard, which could be seen as an improvement, except that there could always be more badass women in science fiction, especially on “Trek.”

14. Keiko O’Brien

A botanist we first meet as she’s about to marry Miles O’Brien (an in media res sort of move that we have a lot of respect for), Keiko was an interesting example of how the show was able to build a world beyond each week’s missions.

13. Miles O’Brien

Colm Meaney made semi-regular appearances for six seasons of “Next Generation” before becoming a regular on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” While on that show, the character’s full potential was truly revealed. But while on “TNG” O’Brien had some charming moments, there’s a reason why  one of the best webcomics ever made  is based on the ennui that he must have experienced, humbly operating that transporter pad.

12. Ensign Ro Laren

This tough-as-nails Bajoran officer was our initial introduction to the Bajor-Cardassian conflict, which would be a fundamental foundation of “DS9.” Unfortunately, because Michelle Forbes was infamously skittish about signing up for ongoing series during the ’90s, Ro never got the character development enjoyed by other folk. That said, the episode “Rascals,” where she learned how to have fun as a child was… um. Fun.

11. Ensign Alyssa Ogawa

A very minor character, in theory, but the show’s erstwhile nurse made 16 appearances during the show’s run and had her own arc, with a romantic life that eventually led to her becoming a mother. Nurse Ogawa was always a pleasant presence and much appreciated.

10. Wesley Crusher

Wesley was, um,  a polarizing figure for sci-fi fans at the time , given the fact that as a teen genius who was perhaps rightly labeled as a Marty Sue, he could be a bit grating. But Wesley was also a nice, decent kid, and “TNG” showcased him best by letting that side peek out. The episode where he makes out with Ashley Judd will always be a classic.

9. Deanna Troi

Playing an “empath” is an odd requirement for an actor, and Troi had to deal with a lot of odd storylines. But she occasionally got some meat to chew into, especially given the fact that her rank as a Starfleet officer meant that she was technically more integrated into the military aspects of the series than expected. And she wore some fun jumpsuits! Troi was great.

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Make it so! Star Trek: The Next Generation remains radically hopeful television

As Star Trek: Picard wraps up, we take a look at the comforting and thrilling show that came first, featuring Patrick Stewart’s Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his Enterprise crew

• Star Trek: The Next Generation is streaming on Netflix and Paramount+. Picard is streaming on Paramount+ and Prime Video. For more recommendations of what to stream in Australia, click here
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I n the 1992 comedy Wayne’s World, Wayne Campbell makes a wise observation about the comparisons made between sparkling wine and champagne. “It is a lot like Star Trek: The Next Generation,” he notes of sparkling wine . “In many ways it’s superior, but will never be as recognised as the original.”

Wayne was right about many things, but even he couldn’t have foreseen the cultural impact of Next Gen from his vantage point in 1992.

The original Star Trek series, starring the likes of William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, was great, and the Star Trek films were intermittently so too – all following a crew of spacefaring idealists exploring the universe and having velure-ensconced adventures. But in 1987 the story of Star Trek recommenced with a new series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, which skipped a century ahead and charted a fascinating new course with an all new crew on a new and improved USS Enterprise, a ship with a continuing mission to explore the universe under the steady hand of the uptight but charming Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart).

“For some people it was a burden, for some it was a privilege,” says Gates McFadden, who played Dr Beverly Crusher in TNG. “For me, because I wasn’t familiar with the first show, it wasn’t a burden at all! I was like, let’s go for it!”

Picard showrunner Terry Matalas tells me that “like the original series, there is something so unbelievably comforting about TNG”.

“It could be the [Star Trek creator Gene] Roddenberry hope beamed into your living room, or the chemistry of the cast, or the freshness of those science fiction tales. But there is nothing better to have on your television on a lazy Sunday afternoon.”

TNG told a complex, thrilling and evolving story about what happens when humanity opts for hope over hopelessness: like all the other ships in Starfleet, the Enterprise is home to a diverse, multicultural crew who are free to pursue knowledge, equality and justice in a post-scarcity utopia.

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“I’ve learned as I’ve grown how crucial it is to have hope,” McFadden says. “Because otherwise, there’s no point to anything! And the hope in Roddenberry’s vision of the future was so freaking huge .”

What does she mean by “huge”? She laughs. “Well, to even get us to think about a world where we don’t have money any more, we don’t have greed, we can cure things. The idea that we can work together and all be up in space – together! – I think that reality gave people so much.”

The character development in Next Gen is an enormous part of its charm. Take Stewart’s Picard: a down-the-line man bound by duty, who comes to rely on his crew more and more. Or his first officer Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes), the jazz-loving ladies man who secretly pined for his ex and colleague, ship counsellor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis). Or Worf (Michael Dorn), a member of the war-mongering race the Klingons, who gradually becomes one of Star Trek’s most complex characters. Or Geordi LaForge (LeVar Burton), a blind and confident engineer who couldn’t talk to women to save his life. And, of course, Data (Brent Spiner): the artificial life form who longs to become human.

The entire Enterprise crew are united by their principles, and TNG shows what happens when these principles meet practicality. There’s the United Federation of Planets, the ideologically driven group of planets united in peace, and Starfleet, who explore the universe while upholding the ideals of non-interference and discovery. The crew of the Enterprise believe in these ideals, but frequently the show challenges their resolve. Picard himself, in the superb Star Trek film First Contact, is confronted by his old enemies, the Borg, and is challenged when it becomes apparent he’s actually enjoying killing them. “Where were your evolved sensibilities then?” one character screams at him. It is in those moments of frisson, when the characters are torn between their ideals and reality, that Next Gen truly shines.

After a sublime seventh season and several films, the TNG story stopped. Then a few years ago we got two pretty wonky seasons of Picard, a show set 29 years after the final TNG film. But the third and final season of Picard – the finale of which is about to air – has, without spoiling anything, done something miraculous. Matalas took over from author Michael Chabon as showrunner alongside Akiva Goldsman in season two; in the third he has – if you’ll forgive the pun – single-handedly landed the ship.

The last season of Picard is peak Star Trek; it is TNG’s long-awaited eighth season. It reunites the classic cast for one last adventure, and is everything that makes Trek so prescient, so vital, and so timely, distilled down to a single whip-smart, passionate and emotionally articulate season of television. The performances are next level, the storytelling is breathtaking and the emotional heft is staggering. The world of TNG would be immeasurably poorer without it.

As a fan, it is wonderful to see the TNG story continue with such effortlessness after all these years. The common thread that links TNG and the final season of Picard is an idea: that together, we’re stronger.

“For me, that’s the most positive thing about Star Trek,” Gates says. “That if we work together, if we collaborate, if we stop being rigid, judgmental and open ourselves up to the possibility of learning something new or even being wrong! If we do that, and give love … we can achieve anything. That’s the genius of Star Trek.”

Gates McFadden is also the host of the podcast Gates McFadden Investigates: Who do you think you are? , where she interviews friends and colleagues, including cast members from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

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‘Picard’ Gets the ‘Next Generation’ Band Back Together

The new season provides a victory lap for some of the most beloved “Star Trek” characters and actors. “I had long since given up on any hope of a conclusion as satisfying as this one is,” LeVar Burton said.

Clockwise from top left: Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton and Patrick Stewart of “The Next Generation,” which ran for seven seasons starting in 1987. Credit... Ryan Pfluger for The New York Times

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By Sopan Deb

• Published Feb. 14, 2023 Updated Feb. 15, 2023

LOS ANGELES — In a 1987 review of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” a New York Times TV critic wrote of the premiere , “On this initial voyage, the Enterprise and its new crew simply fail to take flight.”

This was a common sentiment through the show’s early days, one shared by many fans, critics and even some of those involved in the series. As the first version of “Star Trek” to not involve the beloved Kirk, Spock and McCoy from the original series and multiple films, “The Next Generation” had to overcome plenty of distrust and resentment before finding its footing.

Decades later, after a popular seven-season run and several movies, it’s hard to believe anyone ever doubted “The Next Generation.” Go to any convention panel featuring members of the cast, and fans will line up to say that Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) inspired them to become psychologists, or that Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) did the same for doctors. Or that Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) influenced a generation of engineers.

For years, such events were the only way to see the stoic and thoughtful Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Co. gathered together. But now much of the original “Next Generation” cast has been reunited in the new season of “Star Trek: Picard,” which premieres Thursday on Paramount+. While there is plenty of fan service to go around, the story lines offer a fresh take on familiar faces who have taken drastically different paths.

If not exactly a “Next Generation” revival, the story could function as another, perhaps better, send-off for some of the most beloved characters in the “Star Trek” universe, who were last all together onscreen two decades ago in the movie “Star Trek: Nemesis.” Panned by critics, fans and even some of the actors, the film seemed like the end of the road for the cast.

But the universe where their ship had once boldly gone had more in store.

When the core cast got together for an interview last week, the gathering had the atmosphere of a family reunion. Stewart broke into song with Jonathan Frakes, who plays Picard’s longtime No. 1, William Riker, while Michael Dorn (who plays the honorable Klingon Worf) cackled nearby. In the conversation that followed, they, along with Burton, McFadden and Brent Spiner (the android Data), talked about what it was like to revisit their most famous characters and work with one another again. (Sirtis was unavailable; Spiner joined by video.)

These are edited excerpts from the interview.

I was fascinated to learn that Jean-Luc Picard was originally based loosely on Horatio Hornblower, the fictional Royal Navy officer protagonist of the C.S. Forester novels. Patrick, you’ve obviously made the character your own since. What did you draw on for the Admiral Picard we see in the current series?

PATRICK STEWART Well, a lot of it is based on disappointment, frustration. I was promoted, which meant a bit of farewell. A goodbye. But the admiral job turned out to be an office trip, basically. It was not what he had known all his life, which was being on a ship. I’ve heard this from Navy people, that they have the same thing.

So he had gone back to France and was running his vineyard and then he encounters this profoundly troubled young woman and feels that he needs to do something. That’s where the engagement begins, and it is also the last time that, as an actor, I ran up a flight of stairs. You’ll never see me do that again.

I saw an interview where you said that sometimes you don’t know where Picard ends and Patrick Stewart begins. Do the rest of you feel that way about your characters?

MICHAEL DORN Not me.

JONATHAN FRAKES What about your new Worf?

DORN What about him?

FRAKES He’s a little more like Michael.

DORN Did I say no? I meant yes.

[Laughter.]

LEVAR BURTON I’ve tried to bring as much LeVar into Geordi as has made sense. I won’t say that there’s an absolute melding of the two, but there’s a little Geordi in me now, absolutely.

BRENT SPINER I’ve said this before, and it may be redundant, but I think there’s a little Data in every man. But since I am Data, there’s more of it in me.

Who here needed the most convincing to reprise his or her character?

SPINER Dorn, I think. Right?

DORN Everything was fine except the makeup. That was the issue that I had: making sure the makeup was not three hours as it was before.

Was it better?

DORN Much better. Actually, the makeup was less than an hour.

FRAKES Never looked better, I’ve got to say. The beard was beautiful.

How challenging was it to play evolved versions of your characters?

FRAKES I thought Terry [the showrunner, Terry Matalas] wrote Riker better than he had ever been written.

FRAKES He had Patrick and me to lunch, and he said, “What I’d like to do is write conflict for you two guys who never really had any conflict.” To which we both said: “That’s great.” Roddenberry [Gene Roddenberry, the “Star Trek” creator] wanted our ship to exist in a bubble in which the family lived without conflict, which is unrealistic and uninteresting in many ways and is undramatic. So for Picard and Riker to be at loggerheads was great for us. To look at Patrick’s eyes and the characters disagree — it was so much different than bringing him reports. Our relationship was so gentle, and here we really had big issues, and that made the drama better. It made the story better.

Brent, there’s a running joke among fans about how every time there’s a new “Star Trek” story, there’s a new character for you to play. [Data has multiple clones and human quasi-ancestors.] Is there a part of you that wishes your original version of Data, who died in “Nemesis,” could be part of this rendition?

SPINER I don’t think so, because then I couldn’t have played those other things. You know, I was perfectly happy with the ending of “Nemesis,” even though I know that a lot of fans weren’t. And then I feel that was sort of redeemed, in a way, for the fans in the first season of “Picard.” I would hate to have missed both those moments.

So no, I’m perfectly happy with the way it’s gone. I can’t say much more. I haven’t really seen much of the show — they’ve kept it away from me because they know I’ll blow it.

How did the rest of you feel about where the “Next Generation” franchise was left after “Nemesis”?

BURTON I always felt it was a missed opportunity to create a story and play a story line that had a fitting and proper conclusion to it. None of us knew that was going to be our last outing. So there was always, at least for me, a sense of a missed opportunity, something unfulfilled.

FRAKES Which is what Season 3 of “Picard” has been, which we didn’t dare hope for.

BURTON That ship had sailed. Two decades have passed. I had long since given up on any hope of a conclusion as satisfying as this one is.

GATES McFADDEN I had given up hope. I felt that my character in the movies was practically nonexistent; it was just bizarre. In this one, I felt more like the way I felt in “All Good Things” [the series finale]. “All Good Things” was a brilliant end. We all had great story lines, and in this, I think, the same thing is true. You feel the past — I felt my past connection with each of these characters, and that was something I didn’t feel in the films. Then I felt like I was just filling a role of, “Well, we have to have Crusher in here because she’s part of the cast.” There wasn’t really a sense that I had a through-line or real character intention. So this was unexpected, and I’m very happy with it. I think it’s an incredible season.

DORN I didn’t have any idea that [“Nemesis”] was going to be the last one. I thought that there was going to be another shot at some point. After 10 years go by, you go, “I don’t know if it’s going to come back.”

Patrick, did you think you were saying goodbye to Jean-Luc after “Nemesis?”

STEWART Oh, yes, but with disappointment.

[To Spiner:] Brent, there had been a lot of conversation about you and John Logan [who co-wrote “Nemesis”] writing a new film script, and that appealed to me enormously. But of course that was dumped along with everything else. And I felt frustration and disappointment about that because what we went out with wasn’t good, I don’t think.

SPINER There are things about “Nemesis” that didn’t work. I think we went into it with the feeling that it was probably going to be our last film, which was why we let Data’s demise happen. We thought a great dramatic conclusion to one of the characters would be a fitting end to the series.

I don’t want to put the blame on anybody for why “Nemesis” didn’t work, but I think we could have come back and done another film. As we’ve seen, Data did come back in the first season of “Picard,” so there were ways of doing that.

McFADDEN The franchise is very different now , though. I think that we’ve had so many wonderful captains of new shows, and it’s gone on enough to be able to make fun of itself in “Lower Decks.” In particular, if I can speak for the role of women in the franchise, it’s just night and day from when Marina and I began. There’s a huge difference to me, and that view is manifest in this season.

You all have talked in the past about how fun the “Next Generation” set was. What was the dynamic like in working together again?

DORN It was different.

In what ways?

DORN I mean, for me, we weren’t all together all the time.

FRAKES We didn’t have the opportunity to get back into that weird rhythm. [With the original series,] we did 26 episodes a year, but we played on the bridge together for days on end. That’s when we got a reputation as being so rambunctious and unmanageable that the director had to yell action to get us to shut up.

McFADDEN There were times where we were all together as well.

SPINER For me, it was very similar to the way it used to be, except much slower.

What do you mean by that?

SPINER We’re old.

What is it about these characters that still resonates decades later?

McFADDEN People need role models; I don’t think I understood that when I first started doing the show. By doing the conventions, I have been introduced — we all have — to people whose lives have been changed by watching the show, or maybe that was the only thing on in the hospital room. And it is a show that is intelligent and has scientific basis to it but also has great humanity.

I think this season of “Picard,” our characters are the most human they’ve ever been, actually. We are expressing things in ways that we weren’t quite expressing them in any other show. The fans have taught me a lot and brought me to understanding how important it is to have a show that talks about a positive future, a future where people can collaborate, that’s inclusive.

SPINER I think it also has to do with our affection for each other as a family. It’s the connection we have with each other that they appreciate. They can then symbiotically be a part of the familial situation that we have onscreen and, frankly, offscreen as well.

Sopan Deb is a basketball writer and a contributor to the Culture section. Before joining The Times, he covered Donald J. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign for CBS News. More about Sopan Deb

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First Photo from Star Trek: Section 31 revealed, legacy character confirmed

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Gates McFadden talks Star Trek: Picard, reuniting with her TNG castmates, InvestiGates, and the Human Condition

Connor Trinneer and Dominic Keating talk ‘Enterprise’, their relationship with Star Trek in 2023 and their first live ‘Shuttlepod Show’

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Ahead of this Thursday’s Star Trek: Picard series finale , Paramount+ has released a sepia-tone-themed collection of photos of the cast on the bridge of the USS Enterprise-D.

The new photos feature former Star Trek: The Next Generation cast members Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , Marina Sirtis , LeVar Burton , Brent Spiner , Gates McFadden and Michael Dorn , along with Star Trek: Picard season three regulars Jeri Ryan , Michelle Hurd and Ed Speleers .

Check them out below.

Star Trek: Picard series finale publicity photos:

Patrick stewart as jean-luc picard.

Jonathan Frakes as William Riker

Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi

LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge

Brent Spiner as Data

Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher

Michael Dorn as Worf

Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine

Group photos

The Star Trek: Picard season three finale “The Last Generation” streams Thursday, April 20th on Paramount+.

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Click here to get started.

The third and final season of Star Trek: Picard reunites the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation and stars Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard, LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge, Michael Dorn as Worf, Jonathan Frakes as William Riker, Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher, Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi, Brent Spiner as Data/Lore, Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine, Michelle Hurd as Raffi, along with Amanda Plummer as Vadic, Todd Stashwick as Captain Liam Shaw, and Ed Speleers as Jack Crusher.

Stay tuned to TrekNews.net for all the latest news related to Star Trek: Picard , Star Trek: Discovery, S tar Trek: Strange New Worlds , Star Trek: Lower Decks , Star Trek: Prodigy , and more.

You can follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram .

Founded TrekNews.net in 2011. UX, visual designer, and published photographer based in the Boston area. Connoisseur of Star Trek, sci-fi, '80s horror, synthwave sounds, and tacos. You can follow Brian on Twitter @brianwilkins .

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This Obscure 'Next Generation' Character Will Return in 'Star Trek: Section 31'

Michelle Yeoh's Philippa Georgiou will meet an interesting familiar face.

The Big Picture

• Paramount+ reveals cast member Kacey Rohl will play Rachel Garrett in the upcoming Star Trek: Section 31 movie.
• Originally planned as a series, the film follows Michelle Yeoh's Philippa Georgiou in her work for Section 31.
• Rachel Garrett captained the USS Enterprise-C in the classic Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Yesterday's Enterprise."

Details on Paramount+'s upcoming Star Trek: Section 31 movie have so far been as top-secret as its namesake Starfleet spy agency. But now we know one of the characters who will encounter Michelle Yeoh 's Philippa Georgiou - and she's an important part of Star Trek history. A new feature in Variety goes behind the scenes of the filming of the streaming-original film, which recently wrapped filming , and reveals that previously-announced cast member Kacey Rohl ( Hannibal ) will be playing Rachel Garrett, a character who captained the USS Enterprise-C in the classic Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Yesterday's Enterprise".

Little else is known about the upcoming film; it was originally planned as a series, but with Yeoh's busy schedule following her groundbreaking Best Actress Oscar win for Everything Everywhere All At Once , it was compressed into a single standalone film. It will follow Georgiou's work for the shadowy Starfleet intelligence agency Section 31, following her return to the 23rd century in the third season of Star Trek: Discovery . In addition to Yeoh and Rohl, it will also star Omari Hardwick , Sam Richardson , Sven Ruygrok , Rob Kazinsky , Humberly Gonzalez , James Hiroyuki Liao , Joe Pingue , Miku Martineau , and Augusto Bitter .

Who is Rachel Garrett?

In "Yesterday's Enterprise", which aired in 1990 as part of The Next Generation 's third season, the 24th-century Enterprise-D finds itself confronted with its long-thought-destroyed predecessor, the Enterprise-C , captained by Rachel Garrett ( Tricia O'Neil ). Somehow, the Enterprise-C being thrown into the future has altered the future; instead of the relatively peaceful galaxy familiar to the show's viewers, the Federation is embroiled in a desperate war with the Klingon Empire . The crew soon realizes that the Enterprise-C must respond to a Klingon distress call in its own timeline, even though it means the ship will be destroyed by the Romulans ; Garrett is soon killed in an ambush by the future Klingons, forcing helmsman Richard Castillo ( Christopher McDonald ) to take over the ship with Enterprise-D security officer Tasha Yar ( Denise Crosby ), leading it to its fate in the past. Ultimately, the Enterprise-C 's sacrifice averts war with the Klingons and restores the Enterprise-D 's future to its rightful state, while Garrett and her crew are remembered as heroes. However, the Enterprise-C 's legacy later came back to haunt the Enterprise-D ; Yar survived and bore a half-Romulan daughter, Sela, who would become one of the crew's recurring foes.

"Yesterday's Enterprise" is considered to be one of The Next Generation 's finest episodes. Collider's Liam Gaughan deemed it to be the best episode of season 3 , calling it a "fascinating look at a darker version of the setting we know and love" while also serving as a proper sendoff for Tasha Yar, who had been unceremoniously killed off in the show's first season.

Star Trek: Section 31 is now in post-production, and has not yet set a release date . Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

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• 2024 Spring Entertainment Preview

Star Trek: Discovery is finally free to do whatever it wants

Imagining the future of the future

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It’s a truth universally acknowledged that even among the greatest television shows in Star Trek history, most of them take two seasons to stop being kind of bad. Never has that been more true or more excruciating than in the case of Star Trek: Discovery .

Polygon is looking ahead to the movies, shows, and books coming soon in our Spring 2024 entertainment preview package, a weeklong special issue.

Often it felt like what Discovery was really doing in its early seasons was discovering what didn’t work. Strong performances from a great cast? That works. A Klingon design that absolutely nobody liked ? Definitely not. But despite the stumbles, Discovery season 1 had still averaged C’s and B’s with reviewers, and had built an audience and a subscriber base for Paramount Plus. On the strength of Disco ’s first season, Paramount greenlit Star Treks Picard , Lower Decks , and Prodigy , three new shows covering a huge range of ages and nostalgic tastes. And spinning out of Disco ’s second season, which introduced familiar , nostalgic characters and a brighter, more Star Trek-y tone, Paramount produced Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , inarguably the best new addition to the franchise since 1996.

Star Trek: Discovery crawled so that the rest of modern Trek could run... and then it started to walk. The show’s third season saw the USS Discovery and crew in the place that should have been their starting blocks: the bleeding future edge of Star Trek’s timeline. Thanks to season 3’s groundwork, season 4 became the first time that Discovery had a status quo worth returning to. In its fifth and final season, Star Trek: Discovery is finally free — free in a way that a Star Trek TV series hasn’t been in 23 years.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is such an elder statesman of the television elite that it’s easy to forget that it was daring. The show’s triumph wasn’t just that it featured a new cast of characters, but also its audaciousness in imagining the future of the future — and making that future unmistakably different . The Original Series showed a racial and national cooperation that seemed fantastical in its time, with an alien crewmember to denote the next frontier of embracing the other . Next Generation saw that bet and raised it, installing a member of the Klingon species, the Federation’s once-feared imperialist rival state, as a respected officer on the bridge of Starfleet’s flagship.

Next Generation ’s time period — one century after Kirk’s Enterprise — wasn’t a nominal choice, but a commitment to moving the story of Star Trek forward. From the show’s foundations, Gene Roddenberry and his collaborators, new and old, set a precedent that the Federation would evolve. Therefore, in accordance with the utopian themes of the franchise, old enemies would in time become friends. Next Generation embraced The Original Series ’ nemeses and the rest of ’90s Trek saw that bet and raised it again, pulling many of Next Gen ’s villains into the heroic fold. Voyager welcomed a Borg crewmember and disincorporated the Borg empire; Deep Space Nine gave the franchise the first Ferengi Starfleet cadet, and brokered a Federation-Klingon-Romulan alliance in the face of an existential threat.

But Discovery — at least until it made its Olympic long-jump leap 900 years into the future — couldn’t move Star Trek forward. So long as it was set “immediately before Kirk’s Enterprise,” hemmed in by the constraints of a previously established era of Star Trek history, it could graft on new elements (like Spock’s secret human foster sister) but it couldn’t create from whole cloth (like a galaxy-wide shortage of starship fuel that nearly destroyed the Federation). Like its predecessor, the ill-fated Star Trek: Enterprise of the ’00s, it was doomed to hang like a remora on the side of the events of The Original Series , or, if you’ll pardon another fish metaphor, doomed like a goldfish that can only grow as large as its half-gallon fishbowl will allow.

Discovery ’s later, free seasons in the 32nd century have shown the Federation at its most vulnerable, a subtler echo of Picard ’s own season 1 swing at fallen institutions . (Fans of Voyager and Deep Space Nine know that this is an extremely rich vein of Trek storytelling.) In its third season, Discovery solved a galaxy-wide fuel crisis that had shattered the community of the Federation. In its fourth it fought for a fragile new Federation alliance and its millennia-old ideals.

And those seasons have also boldly committed to the idea of imagining the future’s future — 900 years of it. The centuries-old rift between Vulcans and Romulans is long healed, Ferengi serve as captains in Starfleet, the work of Doctor Noonien Soong has brought new medical technologies to the fore.

Even still, Discovery hasn’t been truly free in its third and fourth seasons. Star Trek: Picard was out there, forming new past elements of a post- Next Gen / Voy / DS9 era that Discovery had to abide by. And, after all, the show still had to make sure there was something for its own next season to come back to.

But now — with Prodigy and Picard finished, and Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks locked into their settings of Star Trek’s established past, and Starfleet Academy and Section 31 not yet in production at the time that its final season would have been written — Discovery has reached the final final frontier for a Star Trek show. If you’re a Star Trek fan, that should excite you.

Not since Deep Space Nine in 1999 and Voyager in 2001 has a Star Trek series had the freedom to wrap up its run with the Federation in any state it wants to. With franchise flagship Next Generation at an end, and Voyager restricted to the Delta Quadrant only, Deep Space Nine used its last seasons to throw the Federation into all-out war, making sweeping changes to the established ficto-political norms of ’90s Trek. Voyager used its finale to do what Captain Picard never could: defang the Borg (mostly).

We don’t know exactly what Discovery will do with that freedom. Season 4 directors have talked about reaching “ into the past to get further into the future ,” and likened it to Indiana Jones. Official news releases have said the crew will “uncover a mystery that sends them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries.” But speculating on what that means would be beside the point.

Discovery , the show about an intergalactically teleporting starship, can finally, actually, go anywhere. It’s been almost a quarter of a century since a beloved Star Trek series was so free to boldly go. Let’s hope they’re very bold indeed.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 premieres with two episodes on April 4 on Paramount Plus.

Spring 2024 entertainment preview

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Data's Star Trek: Insurrection Story Was Set Up In TNG

• Data's friendships with young children on TNG drive his desire to be more human, setting up his journey in Star Trek: Insurrection.
• Sarjenka and Timothy's connections with Data lay the groundwork for his creation of a daughter named Lal in a later TNG episode.
• Data's capacity for sentiment and emotion is shown through his relationships with children, highlighting his human-like qualities.

Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) befriended a young girl and helped save her people in Star Trek: The Next Generation , setting up his similar Star Trek: Insurrection story. Data spent much of his time on TNG observing and learning from his fellow crew members aboard the USS Enterprise-D. As an android, Data wanted nothing more than to be human, and he learned more about his own inherent humanity as TNG went on. Because of his child-like curiosity and friendly personality, young children often gravitated toward the android, and they, in turn, offered Data insight into what it means to be human.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2, episode 15, "Pen Pals," Data strikes up a correspondence with a young girl named Sarjenka (Nikki Cox) after she sends a plea out into space. Data later learns that Sarjenka's planet, Drema IV, will soon become uninhabitable due to volcanic activity. Although initially reluctant to violate the Prime Directive to save Drema IV, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) eventually relents. In the end, Sarjenka's memories of Data are wiped away, but the android never forgets his connection with this little girl.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Cast & Character Guide

Data's interest in helping children in tng sets up his star trek: insurrection story, data's friendship with sarjenka laid the groundwork for later stories..

Sarjenka is not the only child who finds a friend in Data throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation and the android's connection with children would go on to play a role in Star Trek: Insurrection . Through his friendship with Sarjenka, Data gets one step closer to being human . Data makes another young friend in TNG season 5, episode 11, "Hero Worship," when he rescues a boy named Timothy (Joshua Harris). As the lone survivor of an alien attack on a Federation research vessel, Timothy begins to mimic Data as a way to mask his own grief and pain.

Data admits that he has often wondered what it would be like to be a child.

Data's friendships with Sarjenka and Timothy plant the seeds for his later friendship with a Ba'ku boy named Artim (Michael Welch) in Insurrection . As the Ba'ku people have rejected technology, Artim is initially frightened of Data, but he later grows curious about the android. As Captain Picard and the USS Enterprise-E crew fight to help the Ba'ku people, Artim starts asking Data questions about what it's like being a machine. Data admits that he has often wondered what it would be like to be a child, and Artim reminds Data to "have a little fun every day."

Star Trek: Insurrection was the first film role for child actor Michael Welch, who went on to play Mike Newton in the Twilight films and Mack Thompson in Z Nation .

TNG's "Pen Pals" Also Sets Up Data's Daughter Lal

Data builds an android daughter in tng's "the offspring.".

Data's friendship with Sarjenka in Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Pen Pals" also sets up his eventual decision to create a daughter named Lal (Hallie Todd). In one of Data's best episodes , TNG season 3, episode 16, "The Offspring," Data decides to create another android like himself and raise her as his child. He then creates Lal and teaches her about humans and their behavior. When Starfleet threatens to take Lal away from the Enterprise for further study, Captain Picard fights for Data's right to raise his own daughter. Lal's programming eventually begins to surpass Data's, and she suffers a cascade failure when her new emotions overwhelm her systems.

Data's endearing connections with children on Star Trek: The Next Generation illustrate the android's capacity for sentiment and human-like emotion.

Everyone involved is moved by Data's obvious determination to save Lal, as the android fights just as hard as any parent would to save their child. Although Data is not able to save Lal, he does preserve her memories within his own positronic brain, ensuring that her legacy lives on. Data's friendship with Sarjenka back in TNG's "Pen Pals" gave him a glimpse of what it would be like to care for a child, and he does his best to be a good father to Lal. Data's endearing connections with children on Star Trek: The Next Generation not only set up his Star Trek: Insurrection story, but also illustrate the android's capacity for sentiment and human-like emotion.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is streaming on Paramount+

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Cast Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Wil Wheaton, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden

Release Date

Franchise(s)

Showrunner Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Rick Berman

Where To Watch Paramount+

The Future of ‘Star Trek’: From ‘Starfleet Academy’ to New Movies and Michelle Yeoh, How the 58-Year-Old Franchise Is Planning for the Next Generation of Fans

“I can’t believe I get to play the captain of the Enterprise.”

“Strange New Worlds” is the 12th “Star Trek” TV show since the original series debuted on NBC in 1966, introducing Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a hopeful future for humanity. In the 58 years since, the “Star Trek” galaxy has logged 900 television episodes and 13 feature films, amounting to 668 hours — nearly 28 days — of content to date. Even compared with “Star Wars” and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Star Trek” stands as the only storytelling venture to deliver a single narrative experience for this long across TV and film.

In other words, “Star Trek” is not just a franchise. As Alex Kurtzman , who oversees all “Star Trek” TV production, puts it, “‘Star Trek’ is an institution.”

Without a steady infusion of new blood, though, institutions have a way of fading into oblivion (see soap operas, MySpace, Blockbuster Video). To keep “Star Trek” thriving has meant charting a precarious course to satisfy the fans who have fueled it for decades while also discovering innovative ways to get new audiences on board.

“Doing ‘Star Trek’ means that you have to deliver something that’s entirely familiar and entirely fresh at the same time,” Kurtzman says.

The franchise has certainly weathered its share of fallow periods, most recently after “Nemesis” bombed in theaters in 2002 and UPN canceled “Enterprise” in 2005. It took 12 years for “Star Trek” to return to television with the premiere of “Discovery” in 2017; since then, however, there has been more “Star Trek” on TV than ever: The adventure series “Strange New Worlds,” the animated comedy “Lower Decks” and the kids series “Prodigy” are all in various stages of production, and the serialized thriller “Picard” concluded last year, when it ranked, along with “Strange New Worlds,” among Nielsen’s 10 most-watched streaming original series for multiple weeks. Nearly one in five Paramount+ subscribers in the U.S. is watching at least one “Star Trek” series, according to the company, and more than 50% of fans watching one of the new “Trek” shows also watch at least two others. The new shows air in 200 international markets and are dubbed into 35 languages. As “Discovery” launches its fifth and final season in April, “Star Trek” is in many ways stronger than it’s ever been.

“’Star Trek’s fans have kept it alive more times than seems possible,” says Eugene Roddenberry, Jr., who executive produces the TV series through Roddenberry Entertainment. “While many shows rightfully thank their fans for supporting them, we literally wouldn’t be here without them.”

But the depth of fan devotion to “Star Trek” also belies a curious paradox about its enduring success: “It’s not the largest fan base,” says Akiva Goldsman, “Strange New Worlds” executive producer and co-showrunner. “It’s not ‘Star Wars.’ It’s certainly not Marvel.”

When J.J. Abrams rebooted “Star Trek” in 2009 — with Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saldaña playing Kirk, Spock and Uhura — the movie grossed more than any previous “Star Trek” film by a comfortable margin. But neither that film nor its two sequels broke $500 million in global grosses, a hurdle every other top-tier franchise can clear without breaking a sweat.

There’s also the fact that “Star Trek” fans are aging. I ask “The Next Generation” star Jonathan Frakes, who’s acted in or directed more versions of “Star Trek” than any other person alive, how often he meets fans for whom the new “Star Trek” shows are their first. “Of the fans who come to talk to me, I would say very, very few,” he says. “‘Star Trek’ fans, as we know, are very, very, very loyal — and not very young.”

As Stapf puts it: “There’s a tried and true ‘Trek’ fan that is probably going to come to every ‘Star Trek,’ no matter what it is — and we want to expand the universe.”

Every single person I spoke to for this story talked about “Star Trek” with a joyful earnestness as rare in the industry as (nerd alert) a Klingon pacifist.

“When I’m meeting fans, sometimes they’re coming to be confirmed, like I’m kind of a priest,” Ethan Peck says during a break in filming on the “Strange New Worlds” set. He’s in full Spock regalia — pointy ears, severe eyebrows, bowl haircut — and when asked about his earliest memories of “Star Trek,” he stares off into space in what looks like Vulcan contemplation. “I remember being on the playground in second or third grade and doing the Vulcan salute, not really knowing where it came from,” he says. “When I thought of ‘Star Trek,’ I thought of Spock. And now I’m him. It’s crazy.”

To love “Star Trek” is to love abstruse science and cowboy diplomacy, complex moral dilemmas and questions about the meaning of existence. “It’s ultimately a show with the most amazing vision of optimism, I think, ever put on-screen in science fiction,” says Kurtzman, who is 50. “All you need is two minutes on the news to feel hopeless now. ‘Star Trek’ is honestly the best balm you could ever hope for.”

I’m getting a tour of the USS Enterprise from Scotty — or, rather, “Strange New World” production designer Jonathan Lee, who is gushing in his native Scottish burr as we step into the starship’s transporter room. “I got such a buzzer from doing this, I can’t tell you,” he says. “I actually designed four versions of it.”

Lee is especially proud of the walkway he created to run behind the transporter pads — an innovation that allows the production to shoot the characters from a brand-new set of angles as they beam up from a far-flung planet. It’s one of the countless ways that this show has been engineered to be as cinematic as possible, part of Kurtzman’s overall vision to make “Star Trek” on TV feel like “a movie every week.”

Kurtzman’s tenure with “Star Trek” began with co-writing the screenplay for Abrams’ 2009 movie, which was suffused with a fast-paced visual style that was new to the franchise. When CBS Studios approached Kurtzman in the mid-2010s about bringing “Star Trek” back to TV, he knew instinctively that it needed to be just as exciting as that film.

“The scope was so much different than anything we had ever done on ‘Next Gen,’” says Frakes, who’s helmed two feature films with the “Next Generation” cast and directed episodes of almost every live-action “Trek” TV series, including “Discovery” and “Strange New Worlds.” “Every department has the resources to create.”

A new science lab set for Season 3, for example, boasts a transparent floor atop a four-foot pool of water that swirls underneath the central workbench, and the surrounding walls sport a half dozen viewscreens with live schematics custom designed by a six-person team. “I like being able to paint on a really big canvas,” Kurtzman says. “The biggest challenge is always making sure that no matter how big something gets, you’re never losing focus on that tiny little emotional story.”

At this point, is there a genre that “Strange New Worlds” can’t do? “As long as we’re in storytelling that is cogent and sure handed, I’m not sure there is,” Goldsman says with an impish smile. “Could it do Muppets? Sure. Could it do black and white, silent, slapstick? Maybe!”

This approach is also meant to appeal to people who might want to watch “Star Trek” but regard those 668 hours of backstory as an insurmountable burden. “You shouldn’t have to watch a ‘previously on’ to follow our show,” Myers says.

To achieve so many hairpin shifts in tone and setting while maintaining Kurtzman’s cinematic mandate, “Strange New Worlds” has embraced one of the newest innovations in visual effects: virtual production. First popularized on the “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian,” the technology — called the AR wall — involves a towering circular partition of LED screens projecting a highly detailed, computer-generated backdrop. Rather than act against a greenscreen, the actors can see whatever fantastical surroundings their characters are inhabiting, lending a richer level of verisimilitude to the show.

But there is a catch. While the technology is calibrated to maintain a proper sense of three-dimensional perspective through the camera lens, it can be a bit dizzying for anyone standing on the set. “The images on the walls start to move in a way that makes no sense,” says Mount. “You end up having to focus on something that’s right in front of you so you don’t fall down.”

And yet, even as he’s talking about it, Mount can’t help but break into a boyish grin. “Sometimes we call it the holodeck,” he says. In fact, the pathway to the AR wall on the set is dotted with posters of the virtual reality room from “The Next Generation” and the words “Enter Holodeck” in a classic “Trek” font.

“I want to take one of those home with me,” Peck says. Does the AR wall also affect him? “I don’t really get disoriented by it. Spock would not get ill, so I’m Method acting.”

I’m on the set of the “Star Trek” TV movie “Section 31,” seated in an opulent nightclub with a view of a brilliant, swirling nebula, watching Yeoh rehearse with director Olatunde Osunsanmi and her castmates. Originally, the project was announced as a TV series centered on Philippa Georgiou, the semi-reformed tyrant Yeoh originated on “Discovery.” But between COVID delays and the phenomenon of “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” there wasn’t room in the veteran actress’s schedule to fit a season of television. Yeoh was undaunted.

“We’d never let go of her,” she says of her character. “I was just blown away by all the different things I could do with her. Honestly, it was like, ‘Let’s just get it done, because I believe in this.’”

If that means nothing to you, don’t worry: The enormity of the revelation that Garrett is being brought back is meant only for fans. If you don’t know who the character is, you’re not missing anything.

“It was always my goal to deliver an entertaining experience that is true to the universe but appeals to newcomers,” says screenwriter Craig Sweeny. “I wanted a low barrier of entry so that anybody could enjoy it.”

Nevertheless, including Garrett on the show is exactly the kind of gasp-worthy detail meant to flood “Star Trek” fans with geeky good feeling.

“You cannot create new fans to the exclusion of old fans,” Kurtzman says. “You must serve your primary fan base first and you must keep them happy. That is one of the most important steps to building new fans.”

On its face, that maxim would make “Section 31” a genuine risk. The titular black-ops organization has been controversial with “Star Trek” fans since it was introduced in the 1990s. “The concept is almost antagonistic to some of the values of ‘Star Trek,’” Sweeny says. But he still saw “Section 31” as an opportunity to broaden what a “Star Trek” project could be while embracing the radical inclusivity at the heart of the franchise’s appeal.

“Famously, there’s a spot for everybody in Roddenberry’s utopia, so I was like, ‘Well, who would be the people who don’t quite fit in?’” he says. “I didn’t want to make the John le Carré version, where you’re in the headquarters and it’s backbiting and shades of gray. I wanted to do the people who were at the edges, out in the field. These are not people who necessarily work together the way you would see on a ‘Star Trek’ bridge.”

For Osunsanmi, who grew up watching “The Next Generation” with his father, it boils down to a simple question: “Is it putting good into the world?” he asks. “Are these characters ultimately putting good into the world? And, taking a step back, are we putting good into the world? Are we inspiring humans watching this to be good? That’s for me what I’ve always admired about ‘Star Trek.’”

Should “Section 31” prove successful, Yeoh says she’s game for a sequel. And Kurtzman is already eyeing more opportunities for TV movies, including a possible follow-up to “Picard.” The franchise’s gung-ho sojourn into streaming movies, however, stands in awkward contrast to the persistent difficulty Paramount Pictures and Abrams’ production company Bad Robot have had making a feature film following 2016’s “Star Trek Beyond” — the longest theaters have gone without a “Star Trek” movie since Paramount started making them.

First, a movie reuniting Pine’s Capt. Kirk with his late father — played in the 2009 “Star Trek” by Chris Hemsworth — fell apart in 2018. Around the same time, Quentin Tarantino publicly flirted with, then walked away from, directing a “Star Trek” movie with a 1930s gangster backdrop. Noah Hawley was well into preproduction on a “Star Trek” movie with a brand-new cast, until then-studio chief Emma Watts abruptly shelved it in 2020. And four months after Abrams announced at Paramount’s 2022 shareholders meeting that his 2009 cast would return for a movie directed by Matt Shakman (“WandaVision”), Shakman left the project to make “The Fantastic Four” for Marvel. (It probably didn’t help that none of the cast had been approached before Abrams made his announcement.)

The studio still intends to make what it’s dubbed the “final chapter” for the Pine-Quinto-Saldaña cast, and Steve Yockey (“The Flight Attendant”) is writing a new draft of the script. Even further along is another prospective “Star Trek” film written by Seth Grahame-Smith (“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”) and to be directed by Toby Haynes (“Andor,” “Black Mirror: USS Callister”) that studio insiders say is on track to start preproduction by the end of the year. That project will serve as an origin story of sorts for the main timeline of the entire franchise. In both cases, the studio is said to be focused on rightsizing the budgets to fit within the clear box office ceiling for “Star Trek” feature films.

Far from complaining, everyone seems to relish the challenge. Visual effects supervisor Jason Zimmerman says that “working with Alex, the references are always at least $100 million movies, if not more, so we just kind of reverse engineer how do we do that without having to spend the same amount of money and time.”

The workload doesn’t seem to faze him either. “Visual effects people are a big, big ‘Star Trek’ fandom,” he says. “You naturally just get all these people who go a little bit above and beyond, and you can’t trade that for anything.”

In one of Kurtzman’s several production offices in Toronto, he and production designer Matthew Davies are scrutinizing a series of concept drawings for the newest “Star Trek” show, “Starfleet Academy.” A bit earlier, they showed me their plans for the series’ central academic atrium, a sprawling, two-story structure that will include a mess hall, amphitheater, trees, catwalks, multiple classrooms and a striking view of the Golden Gate Bridge in a single, contiguous space. To fit it all, they plan to use every inch of Pinewood Toronto’s 45,900 square foot soundstage, the largest in Canada.

But this is a “Star Trek” show, so there do need to be starships, and Kurtzman is discussing with Davies about how one of them should look. The issue is that “Starfleet Academy” is set in the 32nd century, an era so far into the future Kurtzman and his team need to invent much of its design language.

“For me, this design is almost too Klingon,” Kurtzman says. “I want to see the outline and instinctively, on a blink, recognize it as a Federation ship.”

The time period was first introduced on Season 3 of “Discovery,” when the lead character, Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), transported the namesake starship and its crew there from the 23rd century. “It was exciting, because every time we would make a decision, we would say, ‘And now that’s canon,’” says Martin-Green.

“We listened to a lot of it,” Kurtzman says. “I think I’ve been able to separate the toxic fandom from really true fans who love ‘Star Trek’ and want you to hear what they have to say about what they would like to see.”

By Season 2, the “Discovery” writers pivoted from its dour, war-torn first season and sent the show on its trajectory 900-plus years into the future. “We had to be very aware of making sure that Spock was in the right place and that Burnham’s existence was explained properly, because she was never mentioned in the original series,” says executive producer and showrunner Michelle Paradise. “What was fun about jumping into the future is that it was very much fresh snow.”

That freedom affords “Starfleet Academy” far more creative latitude while also dramatically reducing how much the show’s target audience of tweens and teens needs to know about “Star Trek” before watching — which puts them on the same footing as the students depicted in the show. “These are kids who’ve never had a red alert before,” Noga Landau, executive producer and co-showrunner, says. “They never had to operate a transporter or be in a phaser fight.”

In the “Starfleet Academy” writers’ room in Secret Hideout’s Santa Monica offices, Kurtzman tells the staff — a mix of “Star Trek” die-hards, part-time fans and total newbies — that he wants to take a 30,000-foot view for a moment. “I think we need to ground in science more throughout the show,” he says, a giant framed photograph of Spock ears just over his shoulder. “The kids need to use science more to solve problems.”

Immediately, one of the writers brightens. “Are you saying we can amp up the techno-babble?” she says. “I’m just excited I get to use my computer science degree.”

After they break for lunch, Kurtzman is asked how much longer he plans to keep making “Star Trek.” 

“The minute I fall out of love with it is the minute that it’s not for me anymore. I’m not there yet,” he says. “To be able to build in this universe to tell stories that are fundamentally about optimism and a better future at a time when the world seems to be falling apart — it’s a really powerful place to live every day.”

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