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Star Trek: The Next Generation

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Star Trek: The Next Generation , often abbreviated to TNG , is the second live-action Star Trek television series, and the first set in the 24th century . Like its predecessors, it was created by Gene Roddenberry . Produced at Paramount Pictures , it aired in first-run syndication , by Paramount Television in the US, from September 1987 to May 1994 . The series was set in the 24th century and featured the voyages of the starship USS Enterprise -D under Captain Jean-Luc Picard .

The series led to four spin-offs set in the same time period: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , which it ran alongside during its final two seasons, Star Trek: Voyager , Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Picard . It is also the beginning of a contiguous period of time during which there was always at least one Star Trek series in production, ending with Star Trek: Enterprise in 2005 .

• Main Title Theme  file info (arranged by Dennis McCarthy , composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage )
• 2.1 Starring
• 2.2 Also starring
• 3.1 Season 1
• 3.2 Season 2
• 3.3 Season 3
• 3.4 Season 4
• 3.5 Season 5
• 3.6 Season 6
• 3.7 Season 7
• 4.1 Remastering
• 5.1 Performers
• 5.2 Stunt performers
• 5.3 Production staff
• 5.4 Companies
• 6 Related topics
• 8 External links

Summary [ ]

Star Trek: The Next Generation moved the universe forward roughly a century past the days of James T. Kirk and Spock . The series depicted a new age in which the Klingons were allies of the Federation , though the Romulans remained adversaries. New threats included the Ferengi (although they were later used more for comic relief), the Cardassians , and the Borg . While Star Trek: The Original Series was clearly made in the 1960s, the first two seasons of The Next Generation show all the markings of a 1980s product, complete with Spandex uniforms .

As with the original Star Trek , TNG was still very much about exploration, "boldly going where no one has gone before". Similarly, the plots captured the adventures of the crew of a starship, namely the USS Enterprise -D . Despite the apparent similarities with the original series, the creators of TNG were adamant about creating a bold, independent vision of the future. The public did not widely accept the show on its own terms until the airing of " The Best of Both Worlds ", which marked a shift towards higher drama, serious plot lines, and a less episodic nature. This helped pave the way for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and its two-year-long Dominion War arc and preceding build-up, as well as the third and fourth seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise . Star Trek: Voyager capitalized on the heightened crew relationships and familial bonds first seen on The Next Generation. DS9, on the other hand, balanced political intrigue, character development, and series-long plot threads with a rerun-friendly format.

As with the original Star Trek , TNG's special effects utilized miniatures, but due to great advancements in computerized effects and opticals, the show leaped ahead of its predecessor in terms of quality effects. This series marked the greatest surge in Star Trek 's mainstream popularity, and paved the way for the later televised Trek shows.

Four of the Star Trek motion pictures continued the adventures of the TNG cast after the end of the series in 1994. Star Trek Generations served to "pass the torch" from The Original Series cast, who had been the subject of the first six motion pictures, by including crossover appearances from William Shatner , James Doohan , and Walter Koenig ; it also featured the destruction of the USS Enterprise -D. Star Trek: First Contact , released two years later , was the first of the motion pictures to solely feature the TNG cast, transferred aboard the new USS Enterprise -E and engaging with one of their deadliest enemies from the television series, the Borg. Star Trek: Insurrection followed in 1998 , continuing certain character arcs from the series. In 2002 , Star Trek Nemesis brought some of these character arcs and plot threads to a seemingly definite conclusion, although some cast members expressed hope that future movies would yet pick up the story. Regardless, a new generation of actors appeared in 2009 's Star Trek , which created an alternate reality and returned the films' focus to Kirk and Spock .

On television, characters from TNG appeared in subsequent series. Recurring TNG character Miles O'Brien became a series regular on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , as did Worf in DS9's fourth season . Jean-Luc Picard appeared in Deep Space Nine 's pilot episode , and supporting characters from TNG appeared occasionally on DS9 (specifically, Keiko O'Brien , Lursa , B'Etor , Molly O'Brien , Vash , Q , Lwaxana Troi , Alynna Nechayev , Gowron , Thomas Riker , Toral , and Alexander Rozhenko ). Reginald Barclay and Deanna Troi appeared several times each on Star Trek: Voyager , and Troi and William T. Riker appeared in the series finale of Star Trek: Enterprise , which was primarily a holographic simulation set during the TNG episode " The Pegasus ". However, Star Trek Nemesis was the final chronological appearance of the Next Generation characters for over 18 years, until Star Trek: Picard , which focused on the later life of Jean-Luc Picard. Riker, Troi, Data , and Hugh also appeared in Picard .

In 1994 , Star Trek: The Next Generation was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. During its seven-year run, it was nominated for 58 Emmy Awards, mostly in "technical" categories such as visual effects and makeup; it won 18.

Main cast [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
• Jonathan Frakes as Commander William T. Riker

Also starring [ ]

• LeVar Burton as Lt. j.g. / Lt. / Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
• Denise Crosby as Lt. Tasha Yar ( 1987 - 1988 )
• Michael Dorn as Lt. j.g. / Lt. Worf
• Gates McFadden as Doctor Beverly Crusher ( 1987 - 1988 ; 1989 - 1994 )
• Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
• Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data
• Wil Wheaton as Ensign Wesley Crusher ( 1987 - 1990 )

Episode list [ ]

Season 1 [ ].

TNG Season 1 , 25 episodes:

Season 2 [ ]

TNG Season 2 , 22 episodes:

Season 3 [ ]

TNG Season 3 , 26 episodes:

Season 4 [ ]

TNG Season 4 , 26 episodes:

Season 5 [ ]

TNG Season 5 , 26 episodes:

Season 6 [ ]

TNG Season 6 , 26 episodes:

Season 7 [ ]

TNG Season 7 , 25 episodes:

Behind the scenes [ ]

Star Trek: The Next Generation was originally pitched to the then-fledgling Fox Network . However, they couldn't guarantee an initial order greater than thirteen episodes, not enough to make the enormous start-up costs of the series worth the expense. It was then decided to sell the series to the first-run syndication market. The show's syndicated launch was overseen by Paramount Television president Mel Harris , a pioneer in the syndicated television market. Many of the stations that carried The Next Generation had also run The Original Series for a long time.

According to issues of Star Trek: The Official Fan Club Magazine from early 1987, TNG was originally planned to be set in the 25th century, 150 years after the original series, and the Enterprise would have been the Enterprise NCC-1701-G. Gene Roddenberry ultimately changed the timeline to mid-24th century, set on board the Enterprise NCC-1701-D, as an Enterprise -G would have been the eighth starship to bear the name and that was too many for the relatively short time period that was to have passed.

Star Trek: The Next Generation was billed initially as being set 78 years after the days of the original USS Enterprise . [1] (p. 16) However, after the series' first season was established as being set in the year 2364 , this reference became obsolete as dates were then able to be set for the original series and the four previous films. When this happened, it was established that the events of the original series were about a hundred years before the events of TNG. With TNG's first season being set in 2364, 78 years prior would have been 2286 . Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home partly takes place during this year along with the shakedown cruise of the USS Enterprise -A .

On the special The Star Trek Saga: From One Generation To The Next , Gene Roddenberry commented, " On the original Star Trek , I practically lost my family from working so many twelve-hour days, fourteen-hour days, seven days a week, and I told them, 'You can't pay me enough to do that.' But then they said, 'Hey, but suppose we do it in a way in which' they call syndication, 'in which we don't have a network and we don't have all those people up there?' And Paramount was saying to me, 'And we guarantee that you will be in charge of the show.' "

Andrew Probert was first hired by Roddenberry in 1978 . However, not until 1986 , when Roddenberry was preparing to launch a new show, entitled Star Trek: The Next Generation , did he call upon Probert to take a lead design role. Everything had to be rethought, imagined, planned and redesigned. As the vision evolved in the designers' minds, the evolution was charted in successive sketches and paintings.

Among Probert's creations, in addition to the new Enterprise starship and many of its interiors including the main bridge , are many other featured spacecraft. The Ferengi cruiser , and even the Ferengi species, are Probert designs.

Roddenberry originally insisted on doing a one-hour pilot and assigned D.C. Fontana to write the episode, first titled Meeting at Farpoint . However, the studio was keen on having a two-hour pilot, mainly because they wanted something big and spectacular to launch the series, especially considering first-run syndication. Roddenberry himself volunteered to extend Fontana's script to two hours, eventually adding the Q storyline to it.

Ronald D. Moore commented, " Gene did not want conflict between the regular characters on TNG. This began to hamstring the series and led to many, many problems. To put it bluntly, this wasn't a very good idea. But rather than jettison it completely, we tried to remain true to the spirit of a better future where the conflicts between our characters did not show them to be petty or selfish or simply an extension of 20th century mores. " ( AOL chat , 1997 ) Rick Berman explained, " The problem with Star Trek: The Next Generation is Gene created a group of characters that he purposely chose not to allow conflict between. Starfleet officers cannot be in conflict, thus its murderous to write these shows because there is no good drama without conflict, and the conflict has to come from outside the group. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages , p. 8)

Roddenberry tried to recruit many production staff members from The Original Series to work on the new series. These included producers Robert H. Justman and Edward K. Milkis , writers D.C. Fontana and David Gerrold (who served as the main creative force behind the formation of the series), costume designer William Ware Theiss , assistant director Charles Washburn , composer Fred Steiner , set decorator John M. Dwyer , and writer John D.F. Black . Roddenberry also tried to bring back cinematographer Jerry Finnerman , but he declined the offer, being busy working on Moonlighting at the time. However, all of the above people finished working on the series after or during the first season.

Unit Production Manager David Livingston was responsible for hiring Michael Westmore for the pilot episode. ( ENT Season 3 Blu-ray , " Impulse " audio commentary )

Remastering [ ]

After several months of speculation and partial confirmation, StarTrek.com announced on 28 September 2011 (the 24th anniversary of the series premiere) that The Next Generation would be remastered in 1080p high-definition for release on Blu-ray Disc and eventual syndication, starting in 2012 . The seventh and final season was released on Blu-ray in December 2014 .

Cast and crew [ ]

The following people worked on The Next Generation ; it is unknown during which season or on which episodes.

Performers [ ]

• Antonio – background actor
• Charles Bazaldua – voice actor
• Terrence Beasor – voice actor (17 episodes, including the voice of the Borg )
• Libby Bideau – featured actress
• Brian Ciari – background actor: Cardassian ( TNG Season 6 or 7 )
• Amber Connally – background actress: child
• Phil Crowley – voice actor
• Vincent DeMaio – background actor: Enterprise -D operations division officer
• David Dewitt – background actor
• Gregory Fletcher – background actor Borg
• Dan Horton – background actor
• Carlyle King – voice actress
• Mark Laing – featured actor
• Daryl F. Mallett – background actor
• Tina Morlock – background actress
• Jean Marie Novak – background actress: Enterprise -D operations division officer
• Rick H. Olavarria – background actor (1988)
• Jennifer Ott – background actress: Enterprise -D command division officer
• Richard Penn – voice actor
• Judie Pimitera – background actress: Ten Forward waitress
• Paige Pollack – voice actress
• Jeff Rector – background actor: Enterprise -D command division officer
• Gary Schwartz – voice actor/ADR voice
• Beth Scott – background actress
• Steve Sekely – background actor
• Andrea Silver – background actress: Enterprise -D sciences division officer
• Oliver Theess – recurring background actor (around 1990)
• Richard Walker – background actor
• Harry Williams, Jr. – background actor
• Bruce Winant – supporting actor
• Stephen Woodworth – background actor

Stunt performers [ ]

• Laura Albert – stunts
• John Lendale Bennett – stunts
• Richard L. Blackwell – stunts
• John Cade – stunts
• Chuck Courtney – Assistant Stunt Coordinator
• Terry James – stunts
• Gary Jensen – Assistant Stunt Coordinator
• Lane Leavitt – stunts
• Pat Romano – stunts

Production staff [ ]

• Joseph Andolino – Additional Composer
• David Atherton – Makeup Artist
• Gregory Benford – Scientific Consultant
• Steven R. Bernstein – Additional Music Composer/Orchestrator
• Les Bernstien – Motion Control Operator
• R. Christopher Biggs – Special Makeup Effects Artist
• Howard Block – Second Unit Director of Photography
• Stephen Buchsbaum – Colorist: Unitel Video (Four Seasons)
• Alan Chudnow – Assistant Editor
• Marty Church – Foley Mixer
• Scott Cochran – Scoring Mixer: Advertising Music
• Robert Cole – Special Effects Artist
• Sharon Davis – Graphics Assistant
• David Dittmar – Prosthetic Makeup Artist
• Dragon Dronet – Prop Maker: Weapons, Specialty Props and Miniatures
• Jim Dultz – Assistant Art Director
• Shannon Dunn – Extras Casting: Cenex Casting
• Chris W. Fallin – Motion Control Operator
• Edward J. Franklin – Special Effects Artist
• Lisa Gizara – Assistant to Gates McFadden
• John Goodwin – Makeup Artist
• Simon Holden – Digital Compositor (between 1989 and 1994)
• Kent Allen Jones – Sculptor: Bob Jean Productions
• Michael R. Jones – Makeup Artist (early 1990s)
• Jason Kaufman – Prop and Model Maker: Greg Jein, Inc.
• Nina Kent – Makeup Artist
• David Kervinen – Visual Effects Illustrator: Composite Image Systems (4 Seasons)
• Andy Krieger – Extras Casting: Central Casting
• Tim Landry – Visual Effects Artist
• Lisa Logan – Cutter/Fitter
• Jon Macht – Post Production Vendor
• Gray Marshall – Motion Control Camera Operator: Image "G"
• Karl J. Martin – Digital Compositor
• Belinda Merritt – VFX Accountant: The Post Group
• John Palmer – Special Effects Coordinator: WonderWorks Inc.
• Frank Popovich – Mold and Prop Assistant
• Molly Rennie
• Chris Schnitzer – Motion Control Technician/Rigger: Image "G"
• Steven J. Scott – Digital Compositor
• Bruce Sears – DGA Trainee
• Casey Simpson – Gaffer
• Ken Stranahan – Visual Effects Artist
• Rick Stratton – Makeup Artist
• Greg Stuhl – Miniatures: Greg Jein, Inc.
• Tim Tommasino – Assistant Editor
• Peter Webb – Digital Compositor
• Gregory A. Weimerskirch – Assistant Art Director
• Bill Witthans – Dolly Grip

Companies [ ]

• Bob Jean Productions
• Movie Movers
• Newkirk Special Effects
• WonderWorks Inc.

Related topics [ ]

• TNG directors
• TNG performers
• TNG recurring characters
• TNG studio models
• TNG writers
• Character crossover appearances
• Undeveloped TNG episodes
• Star Trek: The Next Generation novels
• Star Trek: The Next Generation comics, volume 1 (DC)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation comics, volume 2 (DC)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation comics (IDW)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation soundtracks
• Star Trek: The Next Generation on VHS
• Star Trek: The Next Generation on Betamax
• Star Trek: The Next Generation on LaserDisc
• Star Trek: The Next Generation on DVD
• Star Trek: The Next Generation on Blu-ray
• Star Trek: The Next Generation pinball machine

External links [ ]

• Star Trek: The Next Generation at Wikipedia
• Star Trek: The Next Generation at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Star Trek: The Next Generation at the Internet Movie Database
• Star Trek: The Next Generation at StarTrek.com
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

• Web Channels
• Star Trek: The Next Generation

Worf's brother violates the Prime Directive in order to save an alien race whose existence is threatened when violent storms bombard their planet.

Penny Johnson Jerald

Paul Sorvino

Brian Markinson

Edward Penn

Susan christy, cast appearances.

Patrick Stewart

Jonathan Frakes

Michael Dorn

Gates McFadden

Marina Sirtis

Brent Spiner

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• Cast & crew
• User reviews

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. 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. 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.

• Gene Roddenberry
• Patrick Stewart
• Brent Spiner
• Jonathan Frakes
• 320 User reviews
• 162 Critic reviews
• 39 wins & 61 nominations total

Episodes 176

Photos 3429

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard …

• Lieutenant Commander Data …

• Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker …

• Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge …

• Counselor Deanna Troi

• Lieutenant Worf …

• Doctor Beverly Crusher …

• Enterprise Computer …

• Wesley Crusher …

• Chief Miles O'Brien …
• Youngblood …

• Lieutenant Natasha 'Tasha' Yar …

• Doctor Katherine Pulaski …

• Nurse Alyssa Ogawa …

• Ansata Terrorist …

• Ensign Ro Laren …

• Keiko O'Brien …
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Stellar Photos From the "Star Trek" TV Universe

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Did you know

• Trivia Almost everyone in the cast became life-long friends. At LeVar Burton 's 1992 wedding, Brent Spiner served as best man, and Sir Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , and Michael Dorn all served as ushers. Man of the People (1992) (#6.3) aired on that day.
• Goofs It is claimed that Data can't use contractions (Can't, Isn't, Don't, etc) yet there are several instances throughout the series where he does. One of the first such examples is heard in Encounter at Farpoint (1987) , where Data uses the word "Can't" while the Enterprise is being chased by Q's "ship".

[repeated line]

Capt. Picard : Engage!

• Crazy credits The model of the Enterprise used in the opening credits is so detailed, a tiny figure can be seen walking past a window just before the vessel jumps to warp speed.
• Alternate versions The first and last episodes were originally broadcast as two-hour TV movies, and were later re-edited into two one-hour episodes each. Both edits involved removing some scenes from each episode.
• Connections Edited into Reading Rainbow: The Bionic Bunny Show (1988)

User reviews 320

• Dec 8, 2002

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• September 26, 1987 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Official site
• Star Trek: TNG
• Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant - 6100 Woodley Avenue, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA (location)
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 45 minutes
• Dolby Stereo

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Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 7, Episode 13

Where to watch, star trek: the next generation — season 7, episode 13.

Watch Star Trek: The Next Generation — Season 7, Episode 13 with a subscription on Paramount+, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

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Cast & crew.

Patrick Stewart

Capt. Jean-Luc Picard

Jonathan Frakes

Cmdr. William Riker

LeVar Burton

Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge

Michael Dorn

Gates McFadden

Dr. Beverly Crusher

Marina Sirtis

Counselor Deanna Troi

Episode Info

Star Trek Best Trek

Star trek: the next generation.

The Next Generation jumps several decades into the future after The Original Series and The Animated Series . It features a less untamed galaxy with more worldbuilding establishing the Federation and its neighbors, along with more recurring faces and story arcs.

The ideals hinted at in those previous series - truth, freedom, equality, cooperation, and so on - are much more clearly the founding principles of the Federation and what Starfleet is working to protect. If The Original Series imagines a humanity that has progressed technologically and expanded into space, The Next Generation imagines one that has also progressed culturally and solved things like prejudice, poverty, and war.

Episodic or serial?

Mostly episodic. There are a couple of arcs and several two-part episodes, and a number of significant events get referenced or have interesting consequences. But most episodes are fairly standalone and the characters and their relationships stay largely unchanged. The show is best experienced in order, but jumping around is workable too.

Idealistic or cynical?

Idealistic. While there are moments of darkness and some tragic events, this is a show where sticking to your principles pays off and good defeats evil. Additionally, the Federation itself is largely presented as a utopia.

Worth watching?

Oh my, yes. Along with Deep Space Nine , this is a strong candidate for the best Trek series and the best embodiment of the franchise’s values. The things that make people love Trek are at full force here. And there’s a reason that this show’s captain is the only character in Trek to get their own series .

Unfortunately, it does have a rocky beginning. The first season is full of cheesy episodes, weak pacing, and inconsistent characterization. But there’s a lot of worldbuilding that comes back later and is useful to know. Most of the episodes I recommend watching in this season lay a foundation or set up later story arcs; for any episodes that set up useful information but aren’t quite worth watching notes are provided so you can just read those instead. If you find this season unbearable, don’t feel bad about skipping ahead - the show gets much better and most of what you need to know will be explained to some degree in the episodes where it comes back. But if you can stick it out, you’ll be rewarded - several later episodes are considerably more enjoyable if you’ve seen these early ones.

The second season is where the series starts to show its true potential, but it was also hampered by a Writer’s Guild strike. As a result, the season opens with a recycled script, features some excellent episodes but some stinkers as well, and ends after only 22 episodes. (Surprisingly, the fact that the finale is essentially a clip show was actually due to budget overruns, not the strike.) The good news is that the second season’s best episodes are legitimately good and there’s fewer bad episodes that turn out to be important later, so you can be more confident that the episodes I say to watch are genuinely worth watching on their own merits.

Season three is where the show really hits its stride. From there on out, each season features some of the show’s best episodes and even the few I suggest skipping are mediocre at worst. Starting in season three, if you don’t feel like checking the guide you can just watch all the episodes and you won’t often go wrong. Even the seventh and final season, where the writers seem to be running a bit short on ideas, has plenty of great episodes and a strong finish.

Note: This guide assumes you want to enjoy most of the show and just skip the worst of it. If you’re looking to save more time and just see the absolute best that The Next Generation has to offer, there are other more aggressive guides out there.

Anything else that should be watched first?

No hard requirements, but it wouldn’t hurt to have seen some of The Original Series .

A few episodes directly reference events or characters from The Original Series and you can better appreciate how The Next Generation ’s expands and improves on its legacy if you’ve seen where it all began.

What should be watched after this?

If you want more of this crew, there are also four feature films . Some of them are worth watching.

Then you should head on to Deep Space Nine .

( Picard is a significant jump ahead and tonal change so I’d recommend waiting on that.)

Können wir das ZDF überzeugen, die Serie Kohlrabenschwarz zu übernehmen und weiterzuführen? Aufruf an das ZDF von den Kohlrabenschwarz Fans

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Die Oberste Direktive

Pflegebruder Nikolai Rozhenko, der als Kulturbeobachter auf Boral II stationiert ist. Die Atmosphäre wird sich innerhalb der nächsten 48 Stunden auflösen. Da Worf seinen Bruder auf dem Planeten nicht erreichen kann, bittet Worf darum, hinunterbeamen zu dürfen, um dort nach seinem Bruder zu suchen. Da die Boralaner ein Volk auf der untersten technischen Entwicklungsstufe sind, wird Worf operativ äußerlich an sie angepaßt...

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Data Has A Secret Full Name Star Trek TNG Fans Discovered

Posted: May 8, 2024 | Last updated: May 9, 2024

Data is a fan-favorite Star Trek character who is part of a proud franchise tradition. In short, he’s a one-name outsider offering a unique perspective on humanity, just like Spock, Odo, Phlox, and so on. However, a deleted scene from The Next Generation episode “The Child” had Data reveal his full name to the computer: NFN NMI Data.

Not Exactly A Catchy Name

As you can tell, Data’s full name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. That’s because it is made up largely of acronyms. In this case, “NFN” means “no first name,” and “NMI” means “no middle initial.

For fans who have eagle eyes and presumably watch their TNG Blu-rays a lot, the existence of Data’s full name may not be as much of a surprise. In the seminal episode “Measure of a Man,” the android’s full name is clearly visible on both his Starfleet Academy diploma and his classified schematics.

Originally Not Visible

Of course, “clearly visible” is a relative term. When these episodes were first broadcast in standard definition in the ‘80s and ‘90s, audiences didn’t have much hope of clearly reading small text in an episode on our small CRT television sets. The Star Trek set designers actually leaned into this by hiding cute little messages (like the names of the different Doctor Who lead actors) on screens where only the actors in a scene would have been able to read them.

Hi-Def Changed Things

However, all of that changed when Star Trek: The Next Generation came out on Blu-ray. Paramount poured an almost surprising amount of time, love, and cash into remastering this beloved Star Trek show. The final result is that episodes looked better than ever, and these are the eps you’ll see if you choose to stream the show on Paramount+.

Viewing a much sharper image on much larger televisions made it easy for fans to identify otherwise hidden details like Data’s full name. In some cases, this prompted Paramount to change some of the jokes that were previously hidden in plain sight. For example, the aforementioned names of Doctor Who actors in the TNG episode “The Neutral Zone” were eventually replaced by names of various TNG staff and cast members.

The Deleted Scene

So, if Data’s full name was already revealed in “Measure Of a Man,” then what is significant about the episode “The Child?” Previously, his name was just one more hidden background detail, but in this episode, Data’s complete name is spoken out loud for the first time. Weirdly enough, though, we never would have heard that name spoken if not for one insanely dedicated fan.

Cyril “Patchou” Paciullo is a Canadian Star Trek collector who managed to obtain VHS workprint copies of “The Child” and other episodes. If you don’t already know, workprints often contain deleted scenes that were never aired. Eventually, Paciullo tried to give his workprint copies to Paramount in time for the Blu-ray release, but it was too late to remaster most of the missing scenes, including the one with Data using his full name.

More Acronym Trek Names?

Fortunately, that scene and many others are available to view online. For Star Trek completists, it’s always when there is even more to discover about our favorite characters and episodes. However, we hate to break it to the android, but “NFN NMI Data” is simply never going to be as catchy as names like James T. Kirk or Jean-Luc Picard.

However, those two iconic captains could benefit from some acronyms in their own names. May I humbly suggest WTF LOL Kirk and OMG SMH Picard? 

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Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Jonathan frakes reveals how roddenberry described riker & how “nervous” he was in tng season 1, i forgot guinan had children on star trek: tng.

• "Whistlespeak" in Star Trek: Discovery pays homage to TNG's "Darmok" with a unique language element.
• Despite a promising setup, Discovery's use of whistlespeak was abandoned early in the episode.
• The episode missed an opportunity to use whistlespeak creatively to resolve the story's conflict.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6, "Whistlespeak" contains a welcome reminder of a classic episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation . Discovery season 5 is a sequel to TNG season 6, episode 20, "The Chase", and so connections to the iconic Star Trek show are expected. Discovery season 5, episode 6, written by Kenneth Lin and Brandon Schultz, and directed by Chris Byrne, is a reminder of a completely different TNG episode , however. In "Whistlespeak", Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) visit the pre-warp planet of Halem'no, where Burnham's forced to break the Prime Directive.

While the story of a pre-warp society forming a religion around failing technology is a well-worn Star Trek trope now, Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6 makes a good stab at bringing something new to the table. One of the most interesting aspects of "Whistlespeak" is the titular language spoken by the Halem'nites. At the start of the episode, Burnham explains to Tilly that the Halem'nites have two languages, a phonetic language for day-to-day interactions, and whistlespeak for communication across distances. This completely alien language is a reminder of Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 2, "Darmok" .

As Burnham seeks the universe's greatest treasure in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, she'll need help from a host of new and returning characters.

How Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 6 Recalls TNG’s “Darmok”

In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 2, "Darmok", Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) is stranded on an alien world with a Tamarian captain whose complex language of metaphors is incompatible with the universal translator. It's only through unpicking the alien language of Captain Dathon (Paul Winfield) that Picard can find a way off the planet. "Darmok" is one of Captain Picard's best TNG episodes , and a wonderful Star Trek story about the importance of communication, no matter how alien the other person's language is.

"Darmok" marked Starfleet's official First Contact with the Tamarians, leading to at least one member of the species, Kayshon, becoming a Starfleet officer in Star Trek: Lower Decks .

From the opening, it appeared that Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6, "Whistlespeak" was going to tell a similar story. However, Burnham and Tilly's universal translators quickly translate the Halem'nites' second language before they even beam down to the surface . It's odd that understanding and using Halem'nite whistlespeak isn't a key part of the story, especially as Tilly becomes stranded inside the High Summit weather station with Ravah (June Laporte). Despite this great distance, Burnham doesn't deploy any whistlespeak to help Ravah and Tilly with their predicament , instead opting to beam directly into the weather station's control room.

Why Discovery Season 5, Episode 6 Didn’t Do More With Whistlespeak

Star Trek 's Tamarians unique language of metaphors was certainly easier to write in the script for Star Trek: The Next Generation 's "Darmok". Lines like " Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra " are more poetic and enigmatic than increasingly complicated whistling. It's likely for this reason that Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6 abandoned whistlespeak almost immediately, barring the coda at the end of the episode. There was perhaps a feeling among Discovery 's writers that having Burnham and Tilly communicate purely by whistling would undermine the life-threatening drama of the situation.

The weather station in which Tilly and Ravah were trapped was designed by Star Trek: Enterprise 's Denobulans, who installed them on Halem'no to help its people cope with the punishing dust storms.

Given that the whistespeak was a unique element of Star Trek: Discovery 's formulaic pre-warp planet, it feels disappointing that the episode didn't do more with it. Burnham could have saved herself from breaking the Prime Directive by using whistlespeak to communicate some means to stop the weather tower from suffocating Ravah and Tilly to death. Instead, "Whistlespeak" opted for an abrupt conclusion that just beamed Burnham into the heart of the action to save the day. However, given that Star Trek: The Next Generation 's "Darmok" is an unimpeachable classic, it may have been wise for Star Trek: Discovery to avoid remaking it.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

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Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse. The series also had several overarching plots that would develop over the course of the isolated episodes, with four films released in tandem with the series to further some of these story elements.

• Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
• Star Trek: Discovery (2017)

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Star Trek: Discovery boldly goes where no Trek has gone before by saying religion is... OK, actually

‘Whistlespeak’ breaks from Trek tradition to be pretty chill about believing in a higher power

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Star Trek’s future is a secular one. Franchise creator Gene Roddenberry was an avowed atheist , and the series and its spin-offs have routinely criticized organized religion as manipulative, illogical, and detrimental to the evolution of a society. Individual members of the human race may have an undefined spirituality, a curiosity about the afterlife, or a sense of wonder at the unknown or unknowable, but specific religious beliefs are typically reserved for alien cultures.

But, if Trek’s fervently pro-science and anti-superstition has remained constant, so have the attempts by different storytellers within the franchise to approach religion from other, more tolerant angles. And the latest episode of Star Trek: Discovery , “Whistlespeak,” may present Trek ’s most even-handed take on faith to date.

Religion as childhood fantasy

Somewhat restrained by the standards and practices of 1960s television, Star Trek: The Original Series used sci-fi allegories to criticize religion as an institution that stifled advancement and expression. In two episodes (“The Return of the Archons” and “The Apple”), Captain James T. Kirk and his Enterprise crew encountered a planet where a population was cowed into willful ignorance or repression by a deity that turned out to be a computer, which Kirk summarily destroyed.

In the 1980s, however, Star Trek’s writers were free to take the gloves off and criticize religion directly. In the 1989 Next Generation episode “Who Watches the Watchers,” Captain Jean-Luc Picard is mistaken for a god by a Bronze Age civilization for whom religion is already a thing of the past. Picard is mortified to be the catalyst for what he, in no uncertain terms, views as a societal regression, and steps in to reveal the truth to his new worshippers, even at the risk of his own life.

The position of “Who Watches the Watchers,” and of Star Trek at large, is that people turn to the supernatural when there are questions they can’t answer, but that the answers will always come, eventually. The willingness to pursue those answers and the patience to avoid drawing rash conclusions is a sign of maturity. By contrast, inventing digestible but unsupportable explanations for life’s mysteries is a sign of immaturity , a phase to be grown out of.

Other people’s gods

After Gene Roddenberry’s death in 1991, there was a gradual shift in the way Star Trek stories approached religion. The human species had still exited the evolutionary stage at which religion was practiced, but many of their peers in the galactic community — such as the Klingons and the Bajorans — held strong religious beliefs. And these beliefs began to be explored in much greater detail.

In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , the human members of the command crew go to great lengths to not only respect but participate in the Klingon rituals of their comrade, Lt. Commander Worf. Ahead of Worf’s marriage to Jadzia Dax, his colleagues Captain Sisko, Chief O’Brien, and Dr. Bashir join him for four days of fasting and physical exhaustion (though not without complaint). When Jadzia is murdered and Worf fears her death has not earned her a place in the Klingon Valhalla of Sto-Vo-Kor, Bashir and O’Brien follow Worf on a potential suicide mission to win glory in her honor. Worf’s friends are content to take Klingon religion at face value, and the existence of Sto-Vo-Kor is never questioned.

During this era of Star Trek, alien religious beliefs were not merely tolerated, but validated. This is an important wrinkle in the case of the Bajoran religion on Deep Space Nine , whose worshiped Prophets are undeniably real: a species of non-corporeal beings who live outside of time and periodically intervene in the development of the nearby planet Bajor. Whether or not the Prophets have done the things the Bajorans worship them for is not up for debate, only whether or not they should be treated with religious reverence. Through DS9 ’s exploration of Bajoran politics, religious power is as dangerous as the person wielding desires it to be — not inherently malevolent or infantilizing towards its people. But, of course, since the existence of the Bajoran gods can be scientifically proven, their value as an analog to real-life religion is limited.

Discovery’s middle way

The streaming era of Star Trek under executive producer Alex Kurtzman, which began in 2017, has seen some new, minor references to religious practices in human society. For example, an unnamed background character serving aboard the USS Cerritos on Star Trek: Lower Decks can be seen wearing a hijab, indicating that some semblance of Islamic tradition is still observed in the 24th century. Not long after we meet Captain Christopher Pike during the second season of Star Trek: Discovery , we learn that his father taught both science and comparative religion.

But “Whistlespeak,” which comes midway through Discovery ’s fifth and final season, returns fully to the Original Series’ territory of a classic “weird alien religion” episode, and with a much more multi-faceted approach. Captain Burnham and her crew visit the planet Halem’no. which is nigh-uninhabitable except within the radius of a tower-like device that was secretly installed by a Federation scientist centuries earlier. The planet’s surviving inhabitants are a peaceful and friendly pre-warp civilization who believe that the towers are temples built by their gods.

Disguised as locals, Burnham and her friend and shipmate Lt. Sylvia Tilly join the faithful Halem’nites for a ceremonial marathon up to the towers as tribute to their divine saviors. It’s a joyful ritual that brings the entire community together, but there’s a shocking twist the Starfleet visitors only learn after the race is finished. Tilly and the marathon’s other winner, a Halem’nite named Ravah, are locked inside the tower, where they will eventually asphyxiate; a sacred sacrifice to keep the planet’s terrible storms at bay.

Though Starfleet officers are forbidden to interfere in the development of pre-warp civilizations, Burnham isn’t about to let Tilly (or Ravah) die to satisfy some arcane ritual. However, rather than tearing the whole society down like Kirk might have done, Burnham appeals directly to the community’s leader — Ravah’s father, Ohvahz — and implores him to stop the sacrifices, explaining the tower will do its work whether or not his child gives their life. Ohvahz is, naturally, open to the idea of not killing his child, but fears that revealing that their temple is actually an alien artifact will shatter his community and lead to violent conflict. What is their civilization without their faith and traditions?

“Better off,” is how Picard would probably answer. But Burnham’s response is more measured.

“There is still what you believe. Nothing we’ve shown you means gods don’t exist… it’s just that you know that there’s also us… Beliefs can evolve. Denying that can cause almost as much chaos as the worst storm.”

It’s probably no accident that Ravah, the teenager who’s supposed to be sacrificed in this episode, is gender non-binary, a trait which is not controversial for the Halem’nites but is condemned by many conservative religious groups here on present-day Earth. There’s also a parallel to the climate crisis, as the Halem’nites will need to learn to maintain the alien weather tower in order to keep their world safe. Would Christianity collapse if their leaders recognized that some of their flock don’t fit into the gender identities described in their holy texts, or that human intervention is required to undo human-made damage to the Earth? Probably not, and their inflexibility is only doing harm to their community. It’s not necessary to hold onto harmful policies or practices, nor is it necessary to throw out an entire system of beliefs because of new, contradictory, or unanticipated information.

Meanwhile, aboard Discovery, Dr. Hugh Culber has been trying to make sense of his own spiritual awakening, a feeling of connection to a higher power that has lingered with him since an out-of-body experience on a recent away mission. As a scientist, Culber’s first instinct is to investigate, understand, and catalog this sensation, but the explanation eludes him. He seeks the advice of his friend Cleveland Booker, a non-human with his own spiritual life, who essentially asks him, “Why do you need to understand it?” With this guidance, Culber decides that the value of his new spirituality is in how it feels, not where it comes from.

The approach to religion in “Whistlespeak” does not broadly condemn religion like The Original Series or The Next Generation , or rationalize and tolerate faith as a quirk of the other, like Deep Space Nine . Instead, “Whistlespeak” questions why a philosophy that is rooted in the unknowable should be attached to absolutes. Spirituality is what you make of it, whether that’s on an individual or community level. Religion can do harm, but it doesn’t have to, so long as its leaders and its believers are willing to embrace uncertainty. In this way, at least, science and religion can find some common ground.

Star Trek: Discovery is cracking open a box Next Gen closed on purpose

Star trek: discovery is finally free to do whatever it wants, the 10 horniest episodes of star trek, ranked by cultural impact, loading comments....

Blu Del Barrio Had An Ironic Reaction To Their Final Star Trek: Discovery Scene

"Star Trek: Discovery" is in the midst of its last official mission, as the Paramount+ series is set to sign off at the end of May after five seasons. The first "Star Trek" series of the streaming era has seen its share of highs and lows over the years, but the casting of Blu del Barrio, the first openly non-binary actor in the "Trek" universe, is undoubtedly a high point. The actor spoke to Comic Book Resources ahead of the show's ending, sharing takeaways from the experience and revealing that their last day on set was emotional — just not in the way you might expect.

"I could not stop laughing," del Barrio revealed when asked about how it felt to give these characters their "final send-off" in a portion of the "Discovery" finale that was filmed after the rest of the episode. "Everybody was crying, but I couldn't stop laughing," they reiterated. The actor compared their incongruous giggles to someone reacting oddly at a funeral. "I like, I went into it like when you cry at a funeral, I don't know what it was," they explained. "The direction was 'Cry. You can cry. You can be sad.'"

Discovery filmed an ending that called for its actors to cry

Though fans haven't seen the sequence in question yet, it's one that Comic Book Resources described as a "coda," and it was apparently filmed after principal photography wrapped. Director Jonathan Frakes previously told Variety that the show's planned two-part finale was suddenly turned into just one episode, leading to the need for additional footage "to actually make the finale the finale." Executive producer and director Olatunde Osunsanmi apparently finished the episode. Whatever happened behind the scenes, it resulted in a quick added shoot that called for the actor to cry, and as del Barrio told CBR with a laugh, they just "couldn't stop laughing."

It's tough to predict just how "Star Trek: Discovery" will end, given that only two "Trek" shows from the modern era have reached their conclusions so far. "Star Trek: Short Treks" seems to have fizzled out after season 2, but given its standalone nature, the show didn't have to offer up a grand finale (it also doesn't seem completely gone, as Paramount released "Star Trek: Very Short Treks" in 2023). "Star Trek: Picard," on the other hand, ended with a sentimental conclusion that satisfied fans of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," reuniting its cast in a meaningful way and signing off with style. Given the apparent compression of the "Star Trek: Discovery" finale, we have no idea what it might look like — but as with all things "Discovery," we trust it to be interesting and offbeat.

del Barrio is proud of being part of Trek history

All laughter aside, del Barrio got serious with CBR to relay the pride they feel at having brought one of TV's few romantic relationships between transgender characters to life. Their character, Adira Tal, ended up in a relationship with Gray, a trans character played by Ian Alexander . "I'm most proud of being able to portray a really wonderful and beautiful trans relationship," del Barrio said, adding, "There is very little stuff out with one trans character and we got two. I got to make something really beautiful with Ian that I'm very proud of, and I also now have a lifelong friend." It's true that trans couples are rare on screen: while Netflix's "Sex Education" recently broke down barriers by featuring a love scene between two trans partners, depictions of relationships like these are few and far between.

It makes sense that such a relationship would flourish in the diverse world of "Star Trek," a franchise that has spotlighted many different types of love over its half-century-plus existence. "Star Trek: Discovery" will always have a special place in "Trek" history, thanks in part to the way it's embraced queer characters in a franchise that has always had queer fans — even when their stories weren't portrayed on screen. "Being able to show a queer trans relationship in that way, in this universe so many years into the future [in] all its intricacy, I think is great, and I'm very proud of that," del Barrio told CBR.

Season 5 of "Star Trek: Discovery" is currently streaming new episodes on Paramount+ each Thursday.

How Caitlin Clark is inspiring Indiana's next generation of girls basketball stars

INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark's impact on high school girls basketball is being felt across the state. And while it's not necessarily a new phenomenon — she's been a source of inspiration for many athletes throughout her career — there's no doubt Clark's status as a member of the Indiana Fever will only further her impact. 

As the former Iowa Hawkeye prepares for her WNBA rookie season, IndyStar spoke with some current high school players, coaches and trainers about Clark's influence and the impact she's had on their careers, as well as the role she and her predecessors have had in growing the game.

Insider: Final shot aside, Caitlin Clark showed how much of a game-changer she can be

'Absolutely incredible': How Caitlin Clark is already reinvigorating Indiana Fever fans.

'She makes basketball fun to watch'

Addi Baxter watches Caitlin Clark clips before every game.

Every single game.

It's become a superstitious ritual for the Junior All-Star from Columbia City, who's been admiring the superstar since her mom told her about an Iowa freshman who scored 35 points in back-to-back games. 

"I study her," said Baxter, a Butler commit. "If I have an off-game, I'll watch her (afterwards, too) and see what things she does well that help her create for not only herself, but for her teammates."

Asked what stands out when she watches Clark, Baxter pointed to her passing prowess and how she handles pressure. "She plays against the best of the best defenders every single game, and she keeps her head, keeps calm. She doesn't try to do too much."

During her recruitment, IU commit Maya Makalusky studied standout players within various conferences, examining how they played and the systems they ran, and noting any similarities to her game. 

A career 41% 3-point shooter with over 1,300 points to her name, the 6-4 Hamilton Southeastern junior was drawn to Clark almost immediately.

"She's really good off drag screens and shoots the 3 really well — freakishly well — so after watching her and seeing the things she was already achieving by her sophomore year, I was like, I have to keep following her,” Makalusky said. 

"(Clark) makes basketball fun to watch," she continued, "not only because of her 3-point shooting and the 40 points per game, but the way she acts on the court, her IQ, the confidence she has and the way she can make any player around her better."

That confidence and ability to raise the level of her teammates is a source of inspiration for Eastern Hancock freshman Kenzie Koch, who will be stepping into a more prominent leadership role with the regional champion Royals next season. 

For her part, Koch admires Clark's ability to make plays with just a ball screen at the top, be it a shot, pass down to the big or a kick out to the corner. "I need to get better at creating plays, so I'm trying to mimic the way (Clark) can move the ball with so much confidence," Koch said.

Alonna Divine — who has been following Clark on the AAU circuit since "before she was Caitlin Clark" — draws inspiration from the intangible byproducts of Clark's confidence and determination. 

"She never really breaks character," the Ben Davis sophomore said. "It hasn't been easy (for me to reach that point). It's definitely something that happens over time, but with the right support system and mindset, you can achieve it."

'The impact she's had … it's a huge change'

Natalie Morse once told her dad she wanted to play for the IU men's team when she grew up. "That's all we saw, you know? And if I played, it was usually with boys in the driveway," said Morse, now program director for Indiana Girls Basketball (IGB). "There were very few girls who wanted to do it." 

There were rising stars involved at the college level like Diana Taurasi, who dominated at UConn in the early 2000s, Morse later added, but limited television exposure and media coverage made it difficult to see her. "You didn't get to picture yourself in that place very often."

That's why Clark's meteoric rise has been so important. She's captured the nation's attention and has helped make women's basketball more accessible to the masses at a time when the sport's starpower is at an all-time high. There's seldom a training session when a girl isn't wearing a Clark (or Paige Bueckers) shirt, Morse said. They may not be imitating her moves, but they're inspired by the way she plays.

Clark gives youngsters something to aspire toward; a reason to dream big.

"The impact she has had on not just women's basketball, but basketball period — it's a huge change," said Lapel sophomore Laniah Wills, a 6-0 wing with Division I aspirations herself. "Little girls seeing her everywhere, it's encouraging them to play basketball and be just like her."

It's too early to fully quantify the Clark effect on the growth of girls basketball, but anecdotal indications are beginning to emerge.

Morse said they struggled to have more than 3-4 middle school girls at training sessions during the "offseason" (January to March). But there was a significant uptick earlier this year, with more and more parents reaching out about having their daughters try basketball. The program currently has upwards of 500-550 girls per year through their program, be it a summer camp or training.

"That's all we want is for them to try it, even if they don't stick with it," said Fishers coach Lauren Votaw, whose mom and aunts were among "the pioneers" for school-based girls sports. "It gives them something to look forward to, something to be excited about. It's a good thing we're at this place right now with women's sports."

'It's so uplifting and has me excited for the future'

Former Zionsville star Maddie Nolan — who played against Clark for four seasons at Michigan and this past season at Colorado — recalled a recent conversation with her mom during an upcoming episode of IndyStar's podcast The Scorers Table .

Kris (Veatch) played at New Mexico State in the 1980s and was excited to get a pair of socks and a practice uniform, Nolan said. "Now we're in the age of NIL and Caitlin recently signed a multi-million dollar shoe deal with Nike . People like my mom and (other past players) have really paved the way for us."

Clark may be the face of the ongoing women's basketball revolution, but the high schoolers interviewed for this story were all quick to credit past players and included other current stars among their favorites.

Divine's entry to Clark was actually through UConn's Paige Bueckers. The Ben Davis standout followed her closely during high school, and discovered Clark when their AAU teams went head-to-head. Needless to say, she was an instant fan. "They were girls I looked up to, so I would watch their games before my games and try to do things I saw them do," Divine said.

Nolan has watched as Zionsville youngsters' interest in women's basketball has expanded beyond her and fellow alums Rachel McLimore (IUPUI/Butler) and Delaney Richason (Vermont), because they're watching more games and following teams like defending national champion South Carolina.

At Fishers, Votaw said boys were talking with her about the women's basketball tournament, while at Columbia City, Baxter cited a significant uptick in student attendance for their games, something that's been lacking over the past few seasons.

Pike freshman Korinne Nickolson — whose dad renewed his Fever season tickets by happenstance three days before the WNBA draft lottery — felt the excitement among her friends and other students for both college hoops and their school team, with her teachers expressing excitement about learning more about the game. 

"It's amazing and it's the best feeling possible, because they're opening doors for players like me and players around the world, showing us that we can do the same thing," Makalusky said. "It's been motivating and proves people do care about women's sports and women's athletes. It's so uplifting and has me excited for the future."

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at  @Brian_Haenchen .