Let’s Watch Star Trek

Let’s Watch Star Trek

The Next Generation Episode Guide

Below is a rated list of every episode of The Next Generation, letting you know which episodes we think are worth checking out if you are new to Star Trek. **BUT** if you’d like to do a quicker watch-through, hitting only the essential episodes of the series, we’ve provided a 20 episode list to brush up on TNG in the least amount of time possible.

Season One Encounter at Farpoint Rating: 3 – Watch The Naked Now Rating: 1 – Skip Code of Honor Rating: 1 – Skip The Last Outpost Rating: 2 – Skippable Where No One Has Gone Before Rating: 2 – Skippable Lonely Among Us Rating: 2 – Skippable Justice Rating: 1 – Skip The Battle Rating: 2 – Skippable Hide and Q Rating: 2 – Skippable Haven Rating: 1 – Skip The Big Goodbye Rating: 2 – Skippable Datalore Rating: 2 – Skippable Angel One Rating: 1 – Skip 11001001 Rating: 2 – Skippable Too Short a Season Rating: 2 – Skippable When the Bough Breaks Rating: 2 – Skippable Home Soil Rating: 2 – Skippable Coming of Age Rating: 3 – Watch Heart of Glory Rating: 2 – Skippable The Arsenal of Freedom Rating: 3 – Watch Symbiosis Rating: 3 – Watch Skin of Evil Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity We’ll Always Have Paris Rating: 2 – Skippable Conspiracy Rating: 4 – Watch The Neutral Zone Rating: 3 – Watch

Season Two The Child Rating: 2 – Watch: new characters are introduced Where Silence Has Lease Rating: 2 – Skippable Elementary, Dear Data Rating: 3 – Watch The Outrageous Okona Rating: 1 – Skip Loud as a Whisper Rating: 2 – Skippable The Schizoid Man Rating: 2 – Skippable Unnatural Selection Rating: 2 – Skippable A Matter of Honor Rating: 4 – Watch The Measure of a Man Rating: 3 – Watch The Dauphin Rating: 1 – Skip Contagion Rating: 4 – Watch The Royale Rating: 2 – Skippable Time Squared Rating: 3 – Watch The Icarus Factor Rating: 2 – Skippable Pen Pals Rating: 3 – Watch Q Who Rating: 4 – Watch Samaritan Snare Rating: 2 – Skippable Up the Long Ladder Rating: 2 – Skippable Manhunt Rating: 2 – Skippable The Emissary Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity Peak Performance Rating: 4 – Watch Shades of Gray Rating: 0 – Skip

Season Three Evolution Rating: 2 – Skippable The Ensigns of Command Rating: 3 – Watch The Survivors Rating: 2 – Skippable Who Watches the Watchers Rating: 3 – Watch The Bonding Rating: 4 – Watch Booby Trap Rating: 2 – Skippable The Enemy Rating: 3 – Watch The Price Rating: 1 – Skip The Vengeance Factor Rating: 3 – Watch The Defector Rating: 5 – Watch The Hunted Rating: 3 – Watch The High Ground Rating: 3 – Watch Deja Q Rating: 3 – Watch A Matter of Perspective Rating: 3 – Watch Yesterday’s Enterprise Rating: 5 – Watch The Offspring Rating: 3 – Watch Sins of the Father Rating: 4 – Watch Allegiance Rating: 3 – Watch Captain’s Holiday Rating: 3 – Watch Tin Man Rating: 2 – Skippable Hollow Pursuits Rating: 2 – Watch: new character introduced The Most Toys Rating: 3 – Watch Sarek Rating: 2 – Skippable Menage a Troi Rating: 1 – Skip Transfigurations Rating: 2 – Skippable The Best of Both Worlds Rating: 5 – Watch

Season Four The Best of Both Worlds, Part II Rating: 4 – Watch Family Rating: 3 – Watch Brothers Rating: 3 – Watch Suddenly Human Rating: 2 – Skip Remember Me Rating: 3 – Watch Legacy Rating: 2 – Skippable Reunion Rating: 4 – Watch Future Imperfect Rating: 3 – Watch Final Mission Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity The Loss Rating: 1 – Skip Data’s Day Rating: 3 – Watch The Wounded Rating: 3 – Watch Devil’s Due Rating: 3 – Watch Clues Rating: 3 – Watch First Contact Rating: 3 – Watch Galaxy’s Child Rating: 2 – Skippable Night Terrors Rating: 2 – Skippable Identity Crisis Rating: 2 – Skippable The Nth Degree Rating: 2 – Skippable Qpid Rating: 3 – Watch The Drumhead Rating: 3 – Watch Half A Life Rating: 3 – Watch The Host Rating: 2 – Skippable The Mind’s Eye Rating: 3 – Watch In Theory Rating: 3 – Watch Redemption, Part I Rating: 3 – Watch

Season Five Redemption, Part II Rating: 4 – Watch Darmok : 3 – Watch Ensign Ro : 4 – Watch Silicon Avatar : 2 – Skippable Disaster : 4 – Watch The Game : 3 – Watch Unification I : 4 – Watch Unification II : 3 – Watch A Matter of Time : 3 – Watch New Ground : 2 – Skippable Hero Worship : 3 – Watch Violations : 1 – Skip The Masterpiece Society : 2 – Skippable Conundrum : 4 – Watch Power Play : 3 – Watch Ethics : 3 – Watch The Outcast : 2 – Skippable Cause and Effect : 3 – Watch The First Duty : 3 – Watch Cost of Living : 1 – Skip The Perfect Mate : 1 – Skip Imaginary Friend : 1 – Skip I Borg : 3 – Watch The Next Phase : 3 – Watch The Inner Light : 4 – Watch Time’s Arrow, Part I : 4 – Watch

Season Six Time’s Arrow, Part II : 3 – Watch Realm of Fear : 3 – Watch Man of the People : 1 – Skip Relics : 4 – Watch Schisms : 3 – Watch True Q : 2 – Skippable Rascals : 1 – Skip A Fistful of Datas : 2 – Skippable The Quality of Life : 2 – Skippable Chain of Command, Part I : 4 – Watch Chain of Command, Part II : 5 – Watch Ship in a Bottle : 3 – Watch Aquiel : 2 – Skippable Face of the Enemy : 3 – Watch Tapestry : 4 – Watch Birthright, Part I : 2 – Skippable Birthright, Part II : 2 – Skippable Starship Mine : 3 – Watch Lessons: 3 – Watch The Chase : 3 – Watch Frame of Mind : 2 – Skippable Suspicions : 2 – Skippable Rightful Heir : 2 – Skippable Second Chances : 2 – Skippable (Watch for DS9 context?) Timescape : 4 – Watch Descent, Part I : 2 – Watch for continuity

Season Seven Descent, Part II : 2 – Watch for continuity Liaisons : 2 – Skippable Interface : 2 – Skippable Gambit, Part I : 3 – Watch Gambit, Part II : 3 – Watch Phantasms: 3 – Watch Dark Page : 2 – Skippable Attached : 2 – Watch for continuity Force of Nature : 2 – Skippable Inheritance : 2 – Skippable Parallels : 3 – Watch The Pegasus : 4 – Watch Homeward : 3 – Watch Sub Rosa : 1 – Skip Lower Decks : 4 – Watch Thine Own Self : 4 – Watch Masks : 1 – Skip Eye of the Beholder : 2 – Skippable Genesis : 3 – Watch Journey’s End : 1 – Watch for continuity? Ugh its lame tho Firstborn : 2 – Skippable Bloodlines : 2 – Skippable Emergence : 2 – Skippable Preemptive Strike: 3 – Watch All Good Things… : 5 – Watch

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Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation

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S7 e26 - all good things... (2), s7 e25 - all good things..., s7 e24 - preemptive strike, where does star trek: the next generation rank today the justwatch daily streaming charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. this includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. this includes data from ~1.3 million movie & tv show fans per day..

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Star Trek: The Next Generation is 279 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The TV show has moved up the charts by 45 places since yesterday. In the United States, it is currently more popular than The Mandalorian but less popular than The Leftovers.

Follow the intergalactic adventures of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and his loyal crew aboard the all-new USS Enterprise NCC-1701D, as they explore new worlds.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation

The new Starship Enterprise and its crew set out "to boldly go where no one has gone before". Their first mission is to explore the creation of the Farpoint station located on planet Deneb IV.

An omnipotent being known as Q, who accuses humanity of barbarism, and places them on trial. Jean-Luc must prove otherwise, or the human race will be annihilated.

While examining the mysterious deaths of the entire crew on board the Starship Tsiolkovsky, the crew of the Enterprise is infected with a touch-transmitted virus that lowers inhibitions.

Tasha Yar must fight for her life, and a vaccine that will save a race of people, when she is kidnapped and forced to battle her abductor's wife.

A powerful entity disables the Enterprise and a Ferengi ship. Their only means of escape is if they can correctly answer the riddles he asks.

The Enterprise is flung across space into a distant galaxy over 2,700,000 light years away when a propulsion engineer, and his mysterious companion, attempt to re-design the ship's engine systems.

Cast & Crew

Sir Patrick Stewart

Capt. Jean-Luc Picard

Jonathan Frakes

Cmdr. William Riker

Brent Spiner

Lt. Cmdr. Data

LeVar Burton

Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge

Michael Dorn

Still going boldly, updated series is fun for all.

Information

© 2011 CBS Corp.

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Season 1 – Star Trek: The Next Generation

Where to watch, star trek: the next generation — season 1.

Watch Star Trek: The Next Generation — Season 1 with a subscription on Paramount+, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

It may never be the original series, but with an exciting new mission and an expansive ensemble, Star Trek: The Next Generation proves to be an engaging introduction to a bold new final frontier.

Audience Reviews

Cast & crew.

Patrick Stewart

Capt. Jean-Luc Picard

Jonathan Frakes

Cmdr. William Riker

LeVar Burton

Lt. Geordi La Forge

Denise Crosby

Lt. Tasha Yar

Michael Dorn

Gates McFadden

Dr. Beverly Crusher

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Star Trek: The Next Generation - Episode guides, brief reviews and ratings

The truth is that, had Paramount executives not taken a chance on rebooting Star Trek in the 1980s (decades before the term “reboot” was commonly applied to the revivification of entertainment franchises, no less), Star Trek could well have died after The Undiscovered Country . Instead, TNG’s seven-year run included story lines and episodes that one-quarter century later still resonate in the public consciousness: stuff like “Darmok”, “The Inner Light” and “Best of Both Worlds.” Remind yourself of just how great TNG was with a perusal of our episode guides.

episode 1 star trek next generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 2 episode guide

episode 1 star trek next generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation

  • View history

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)
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  • Star Trek: The Next Generation at Wikipedia
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  • Star Trek: The Next Generation at the Internet Movie Database
  • Star Trek: The Next Generation at StarTrek.com
  • 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Screen Rant

Star trek: tng's "yesterday's enterprise" finally allowed denise crosby to play the tasha yar she auditioned for.

Denise Crosby reprising Tasha Yar in Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Yesterday's Enterprise" was the character she originally signed on for.

  • Lt. Tasha Yar was a compelling character with untapped potential on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
  • Denise Crosby's return in "Yesterday's Enterprise" allowed for a deeper exploration of Tasha Yar.
  • "Yesterday's Enterprise" is considered one of TNG's best episodes, showcasing a more complex Tasha Yar.

The classic Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, "Yesterday's Enterprise," gave Lt. Tasha Yar actress Denise Crosby the chance to play the version of the character she had been presented with in her original audition. Denise Crosby's Lt. Tasha Yar was a member of TNG's original cast, but she was unhappy with her limited role and left the series. Tasha was abruptly killed off in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1, episode 23, "Skin of Evil." In 2023, Denise Crosby joined The 7th Rule podcast to review Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1.

Tasha Yar was a fascinating character with a tragic backstory who never reached her full potential. Yar rarely took center stage in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1, and the lone episode in which she did, TNG season 1, episode 4 , "Code of Honor", is widely regarded as one of the series worst outings. Nearly two seasons after Denise Crosby left the show, she returned to play an alternate universe version of Tasha Yar in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 15, "Yesterday's Enterprise." Not only does this episode fill in some important elements of Star Trek canon, but it's also a phenomenal episode of television.

TNG: Tasha Yar's Death, Alternate Reality & Romulan Daughter Explained

Tasha yar got more depth in "yesterday's enterprise" than all of tng season 1, "yesterday's enterprise" is widely regarded as one of tng's finest hours..

Denise Crosby returned to The 7th Rule podcast co-hosted by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Cirroc Lofton and producer Ryan T. Husk to discuss Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Yesterday's Enterprise." When speaking about Yar's characterization in the episode, Crosby said the following:

You see a depth to her that is… you’re able to share in. You know, there’s not a lot of episodes in the show in the first season where Tasha’s contemplating those kind of deep ideas - the self-worth, the self-purpose. She’s reactionary, she’s doing her job, she’s taking care of business, but in this episode, it gives her time to be reflective and ask the deep questions of herself. And the writers allow those answers to come out and for us to touch upon that.

In "Yesterday's Enterprise," the USS Enterprise-D encounters a rift in spacetime from which the heavily damaged USS Enterprise-C emerges. Suddenly, everything on the Enterprise-D changes — the ship becomes a warship involved in a conflict with the Klingons and Tasha Yar is back as the ship's tactical officer. Only Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) , the enigmatic Ten Forward bartender, notices anything amiss. Guinan tells Captain Picard that the Enterprise-C must return to its own time period to restore the proper future. In the end, Tasha goes back in time with the Enterprise-C and the future rights itself.

Prior to the podcast episode, Crosby, Lofton, and Husk all watched "Yesterday's Enterprise," and Crosby remarked that this was the first time she had seen the episode since it first aired in 1990.

Denise Crosby's Original Audition Presented A More Complex Tasha Yar

Crosby read a scene during her audition that never made it into a tng episode..

Denise Crosby also spoke about her audition process for Star Trek: The Next Generation , during which she read a "beautiful" scene that never appeared in the show. Read her quote below:

You know, I’ve mentioned before that my audition piece was a very, very beautiful piece written for the Troi and Tasha characters that was never – It’s almost like they lured me in, you know? That was the carrot they dangled and said this is what this is going to be, and then the show wasn’t that. They never had a scene anywhere near that.

Crosby did the best with the material she was given in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1, but that material didn't always live up to the character she had originally been promised. Crosby mentions a scene between Tasha Yar and Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) , and it's true that TNG failed its female characters in some ways, especially when it came to friendships between them. Most of the stories that centered on TNG 's women focused on their relationships with men or featured weaker storylines. Thankfully, modern Star Trek shows like Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds have remedied this oversight, and Star Trek: Picard season 3 even allowed some of the women of Star Trek: The Next Generation to play more complex versions of their characters.

Source: The 7th Rule

Star Trek: The Next Generation is available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

episode 1 star trek next generation

Star Trek: Discovery's Commander Rayner Is The New Riker

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors "

  • Rayner in Star Trek: Discovery shows reluctance to lead, akin to Riker in The Next Generation, emphasizing the importance of strong leadership dynamics.
  • Similar to Riker on the USS Enterprise-D, Rayner's style proves valuable in solving critical issues in "Mirrors" episode.
  • Burnham's mission and leadership choices parallel Picard and Riker dynamics, showcasing a balance of risk-taking and bold decision-making in Star Trek lore.

Star Trek: Discovery 's new Number One, Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) has a lot in common with Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) from Star Trek: The Next Generation . In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors", written by Johanna Lee & Carlos Cisco and directed by Jen McGowan , Rayner has to reluctantly take the center seat while Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) is on an away mission. Rayner's reluctance to take the conn, and his insistence that he lead the away mission in Burnham's stead, draws similarities between him and Will Riker.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 , "Mirrors" reveals that Rayner, formerly the captain of the USS Antares, is unsure that his style will gel with his new crew. However, by bringing the Discovery's bridge crew together, Rayner is able to solve the problem of how to drag the ISS Enterprise out of interdimensional space . With Burnham back on board, Rayner is back to being the USS Discovery's Number One, but satisfied that he can lead from the center seat, much like Riker at the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4, episode 1, "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II"

Jonathan Frakes Is In Star Trek: Discovery Even If You Dont See Riker

Star trek: discovery's commander rayner is reluctant to be captain - like riker in tng.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation , Riker turned down several opportunities to become captain, preferring to stay aboard the USS Enterprise-D as second-in-command to Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). However, Riker was often placed in charge of the starship Enterprise , most notably when Picard was assimilated by the Borg Collective. After rescuing Captain Picard from the Borg, and saving the Federation from the Collective, he was happy to step down from Captain to Commander Riker, satisfied that he'd proved his worth as a captain. For Riker, serving as Number One on the Federation flagship was just as huge an achievement as his own command .

Riker finally accepted a promotion to captain of the USS Titan in Star Trek: Nemesis .

Rayner in Star Trek: Discovery was demoted from Captain to Commander in season 5, episode 2, "Under the Twin Moons". The USS Discovery is Rayner's last chance, which is presumably why, like Riker in TNG , he's keen not to chase promotion. His reasoning is different to Riker's because Rayner had already been a captain for years before becoming Burnham's Number One . Rayner is reluctant to take charge in "Mirrors" because it's not his crew, and his command style is very different to Burnham's.

Commander Rayner Is The Riker To Burnham's Picard In Star Trek: Discovery

One of the reasons that Rayner gives for not wanting to take the conn is that Burnham's away mission is " too risky " for the captain of the USS Discovery . Riker leading the away missions in Star Trek: The Next Generation became such a trope that Picard jokes about it in his Star Trek: Nemesis wedding toast . Burnham explains why she and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) are the best crew members to take on the mission, forcing Rayner to concede that she's right. Picard would do the same in later seasons of TNG as he took a more active role in away missions.

Discussing Riker's replacement aboard the Enterprise, Commander Data (Brent Spiner), Picard jokes: " I will be training my new first officer. You all know him. He's a tyrannical martinet who'll never, ever allow me to go on away missions! "

When Burnham offered Rayner the role of second-in-command in Star Trek: Discovery she made it clear that she didn't want a " yes man ". Picard didn't want Riker to be one either, which is why he was so impressed by his fierce opposition to Captain Robert DeSoto (Michael Cavanaugh) leading an away mission on Altair III. Riker risked court martial to convince DeSoto that his away mission was " too risky " for the captain of the USS Hood, something that ultimately led to him becoming the second-in-command of the USS Enterprise-D in Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Star Trek: Discovery streams Thursdays on Paramount+

All episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation are streaming now on Paramount+

Star Trek: Discovery

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: Discovery's Commander Rayner Is The New Riker

episode 1 star trek next generation

  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews

Unification I

  • Episode aired Nov 2, 1991

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

Picard and Data follow Spock into Romulan space on a dangerous mission. Picard and Data follow Spock into Romulan space on a dangerous mission. Picard and Data follow Spock into Romulan space on a dangerous mission.

  • Gene Roddenberry
  • Jeri Taylor
  • Rick Berman
  • Patrick Stewart
  • Jonathan Frakes
  • LeVar Burton
  • 13 User reviews
  • 11 Critic reviews

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

  • Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Jonathan Frakes

  • Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker

LeVar Burton

  • Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge

Michael Dorn

  • Lieutenant Worf

Gates McFadden

  • Dr. Beverly Crusher

Marina Sirtis

  • Counselor Deanna Troi

Brent Spiner

  • Lieutenant Commander Data

Leonard Nimoy

  • Mister Spock

Joanna Miles

  • Capt. K'Vada

Graham Jarvis

  • Klim Dokachin

Malachi Throne

  • Senator Pardek

Norman Large

  • Proconsul Neral

Daniel Roebuck

  • B'iJik
  • Adm. Brackett

Mark Lenard

  • All cast & crew
  • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

  • Trivia Leonard Nimoy had not previously appeared on the show because he had set his asking price for such an appearance at $1 million, which was far beyond the budget of the series. However, since this episode was in some ways a "teaser" for the upcoming Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) (on which Nimoy was an executive producer, and entitled to a percentage of the profits of that film), Nimoy agreed to appear in this two-part story for standard SAG pay.
  • Goofs When Picard meets Perrin on the Enterprise, he gives her a cup of mint tea that is filled up to a marked line on the mug.

[Picard is requesting a cloaked vessel from Chancellor Gowron through B'iJik, a junior adjutant]

B'iJik : How would it benefit the Klingon Empire? I'm sure Gowron will ask.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : The only benefit to the Klingon Empire would be our gratitude.

B'iJik : That is what you want me to tell him?

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Yes. And please add that, if he is unable to provide us with a ship, then I am sure there are others in the Klingon Empire who would be willing to help me. And then... *they* would have our gratitude.

B'iJik : [long pause] I see.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Also, please tell Gowron that I am *immensely* gratified that he is prospering so well. A tribute to his skilled leadership.

  • Connections Featured in Journey's End: The Saga of Star Trek - The Next Generation (1994)
  • Soundtracks Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User reviews 13

  • Jun 2, 2020
  • November 2, 1991 (United States)
  • United States
  • Official site
  • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
  • Paramount Television
  • See more company credits at IMDbPro

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  • Runtime 45 minutes
  • Dolby Digital

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The Failed Gene Roddenberry Series That Led To DeForest Kelley's Star Trek Casting

Star Trek the Man Trap

Prior to his gig on "Star Trek" in 1966, actor DeForest Kelley spent 20 years traversing the wild and hoary world of episodic television and appearing in supporting roles in little-regarded feature films. His first professional screen acting job was a one-off performance in the one-season 1947 TV series "Public Prosecutor." The series holds the distinction of being the first-ever mainstream televised series to be released on film, instead of being broadcast live, which was standard at the time. 

Between that show and "Star Trek," Kelley appeared on over 80 TV shows, often just in single episodes, but sometimes returning for two or three. He also had bit roles in films like "Variety Girl," "The Men," "Taxi," and "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral," playing Morgan Earp. He was just a hardworking character actor, taking the jobs that were offered him. There is an integrity to that approach. 

In 1960, Kelley appeared in an episode of "Alcoa Theater," an hour-long anthology drama series that featured new characters every week. One of the episodes, "333 Montgomery Street," was initially intended to be a pilot for a legal TV series but the show wasn't picked up and the pilot was repurposed. The show was based on a novel called "Never Plead Guilty" by real-life lawyer Jake Ehrlich, and it followed a hotshot defense lawyer named Jake Britten, clearly an analog for the author. Britten rejected the death penalty and fought hard to exonerate his clients and get their sentences reduced. Kelley played Britten. The episode was written by Gene Roddenberry, the creator of "Star Trek." 

Back in 1986, Kelley was interviewed for "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," and he talked briefly about "333 Montgomery Street" and how it put him in Roddenberry's orbit. When Trek came along, Kelley was more likely to be included.

DeForest Kelley and the forgotten 333 Montgomery Street pilot

It should also be noted that Roddenberry had an equally prolific TV career prior to "Star Trek" as Kelley. Most notably, he wrote 24 episodes of "Have Gun — Will Travel." He, like Kelley, took the jobs in front of him and aspired to larger projects. He and Kelley worked together for the first time on "333 Montgomery Street" in 1960, and then again in a pilot for another unsold TV series called "Police Story." In "Police Story," Kelley played the lab technician character for the LAPD. The series also starred future "Star Trek" actors Grace Lee Whitney and Malachi Throne. 

In 1986, Kelley recalled his early Roddenberry gigs and credited their failure for the eventual rise of "Star Trek." Kelley said: 

"I had, in 1960, done a pilot [' 333 Montgomery Street']  for Gene Roddenberry, in which I portrayed a criminal lawyer from San Francisco, who was a master lawyer. It was a marvelous series, but like a lot of things that Gene does, it was a bit far out and the network did not accept it. So that was my first experience with Roddenberry. I did another pilot for him called ' Police Story .' For the benefit of those of you who don't know, Gene was a cop for about eight years. He wrote a wonderful pilot that we made. Again, it didn't sell." 

For the time, Roddenberry was pretty progressive, and it's likely the studios were a little skittish about making shows that openly lambasted the death penalty. Kelley pointed out that, perhaps ironically, he wasn't in either of the "Star Trek" pilot episodes, neither "The Cage," nor "Where No Man Has Gone Before." In the former, the Enterprise's doctor was played by John Hoyt. In the latter, Paul Fix.

Star Trek was a change of pace for DeForest Kelley

"Police Story" may have tanked, but the fact that Kelley was playing a kindly, decent character got the studio's attention. In those 20 years before "Star Trek," Kelley hadn't played too many heroic figures, usually playing villains and scumbags. "Police Story" proved the actor's range. He said:

"[W]hen 'Star Trek' came along he wanted me for the series, but I had been doing these very nasty guys and the network could not picture me in that role. He ran up against a stone wall. Now, I was shooting 'Police Story' while they were doing the William Shatner pilot ['Where No Man Has Gone Before']. So, 'Police Story' went out for reactions, and as a result of the reaction process, I got a high rating. And, oddly enough, I was not portraying a heavy. I was playing a police criminologist. And the network informed Gene that they had changed their mind. So I entered 'Star Trek' on the first episode." 

The rest is history. Dr. McCoy appeared in 76 episodes of the original "Star Trek" series, 22 episodes of "Star Trek: The Animated Series," and six "Star Trek" feature films. He may not have been in either of the original "Star Trek" pilot episodes, but the imbalance was redressed somewhat in 1987 when he played a very elderly Dr. McCoy in the pilot for "Star Trek: The Next Generation." It was, also perhaps fittingly, his final TV gig. 

His final movie, meanwhile, was 1998's "The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars." Kelley passed in 1999 at the age of 79. R.I.P.

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Published Apr 29, 2024

29 Years Ago, Deep Space Nine Created The Coolest Trill Canon

From 'Facets' to Discovery, the zhian'tara abides.

Graphic illustration of the Trill zhian'tara ritual ceremonial bowl with a flame

StarTrek.com

As a metaphor for the spectrum of human experiences, the Trill are one of Star Trek 's most enduring concepts. But the literal, in-universe workings of the Trill also represent impressive world-building, all of which truly came into its own in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Yes, the Trill were invented for the 1990 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode " The Host ," but the most intricate and downright cool aspects of Trill culture were expanded throughout Deep Space Nine thanks to the stories of Jadzia Dax, Ezri Dax, and the Trill hosts that came before.

On June 12, 1995, one episode leveled-up Trill canon like no previous episode had before. Before this episode, without flashbacks, or characters reminiscing, previous Trill hosts were hard for the audience to access. But, right at the end of Season 3, the Deep Space Nine episode " Facets " changed everything.

Jadzia Dax and Kira Nerys stand around the zhian'tara ceremonia ritual bowl in 'Facets'

"Facets"

Today, Star Trek: Discovery inherited quite a bit of useful lore from "Facets," and the recent episode, " Jinaal ," even gives us touches of what made "Facets" so compelling to begin with. Here’s why this groundbreaking DS9 episode is so utterly fantastic, and influential to this day.

On the surface, "Facets" is a wacky sci-fi set-up in which Jadzia asks to "borrow" the bodies of her best friends. But instead of a Freaky Friday (or " Spock Amok ") style switcheroo, "Facets" is a deeper story, all about Jadzia meeting her previous hosts, physically , instead of those memories just existing inside of her.

Luckily, this doesn’t require her symbiont to be moved out of her body, because the zhian'tara  — a nifty Trill ritual — allows the the personality of one of Dax's previous hosts to be "temporarily removed from the symbiont and imprinted," via telepathy, onto another person. Jadzia Dax chooses the seven people she's closest to on the space station, and then, we, briefly, get to see other Daxes in the bodies of Quark, O’Brien, Bashir, Sisko, Kira, Odo, and Leeta.

Curzon Dax in the body of Odo, with a glass in his hand, converses with Ben and Jake Sisko in 'Facets'

While Odo merging with the personality of Curzon Dax is the most dramatic, and enduring aspect of "Facets," the significance of this episode cannot be overstated not just for the creation of a very profound Trill ability, but because this episode snuck Leeta (Chase Masterson) into the Star Trek family forever.

At the time "Facets" was written, Leeta had only appeared in one episode previously, very briefly in the episode " Explorers ." But, suddenly, in the penultimate episode of Season 3, "Facets" retroactively established that Leeta, someone who worked at the Dabo tables in Quark's bar, was very good friends with Jadzia Dax.

Jadzia Dax and Ben Sisko stand at the head of a conference room table surrounded by Bashir, Leeta, Quark, Kira, Odo, and O'Brien as she asks them to participate in a Trill zhian'tara ritual in 'Facets'

"I thought I was only going to be in one episode," Chase Masterson revealed in 2020, on the DISCO Nights podcast . "It was my second episode! Suddenly, I got a call from wardrobe that I was going to be Emony Dax, and I was like, 'What’s that mean?'"

In the episode, Masterson plays Leeta, of course, but, through the zhian'tara , also plays Emony. In the Trek timeline, Emony was an Olympic gymnast who lived in the 23rd Century, and, as we later learned in " Trials and Tribble-ations " was also cozy with Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy. So, thanks to "Facets" and the zhian'tara , not only did we get details about Emony Dax, but also, later, a connection between DS9 and The Original Series . And even though we never saw Leeta and Dax growing closer on-screen prior to this episode, bringing Chase Masteron back as Leeta had a massive impact on Star Trek fandom. "It kinda meant I was in the group," Masterson remembers. "I felt lucky and of course, it changed everything."

Sitting side-by-side at a conference room table, Leeta and Bashir look up towards Jadzia Dax with wide grins in 'Facets'

Fans who attend conventions and events like Star Trek: The Cruise are fully aware of just how active and integral Masterson is to modern Trek fandom. As a co-founder of the  Pop Culture Hero Coalition , Masterson helped create an anti-bullying program which is the only social emotional learning program used by the YMCA nationwide. Would any of this have happened if Chase Masteron hadn’t been brought into the family in "Facets"? It seems unlikely!

Masteron remembers "Facets" as an "intense episode," and it's that intensity which made it such an important part of Star Trek history. In fact, the emotionally-charged nature of "Facets" is part of what made Discovery ' s recent zhian'tara episode so compelling.

Guardian Xi performs the zhian'tara Trill ritual on Kalzara Bix and Hugh Culber in 'Jinaal'

"Jinaal"

When Dr. Culber takes on the memories of the titular “Jinaal," we certainly get shades of Curzon Dax in Odo's body. Jinaal is direct, jovial, and more than a little evasive. Like Curzon inhabiting Odo's body, there's a ticking clock in play, a time limit to how long Jinaal can stay in Culber's body without the effect becoming more permanent.

Both Jinaal and Curzon are also hiding part of their motivations, keeping a past memory to themselves, for fear of what the current members of Starfleet might do with it. In "Facets," Curzon was keeping a very personal memory close to him, the idea he was in love with Jadzia. For Jinaal, he's not too sure Starfleet in the 32nd Century can handle the power of the Progenitor tech.

Somewhat appropriately, and in a sense, with a poetic connection, Jinaal Bix was a Trill working for Starfleet back in the 24th Century during the Dominion War; very close to the same timeframe that Jadzia had her zhian'tara in "Facets."

Did Jinaal Bix know Curzon Dax, or even Jadzia Dax? While we don’t know the exact answer to that question, Discovery ' s recent return to the zhian'tara , and to a storyline that honors Deep Space Nine isn't just fan service. It creates a meaningful connection across generations and centuries, which, appropriately, is exactly what the Trill do, too.

In Star Trek , the Trill teaches us that we're never too old — or too young — to learn something new.

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Ryan Britt is the author of the nonfiction books Phasers on Stun! How the Making and Remaking of Star Trek Changed the World (2022), The Spice Must Flow: The Journey of Dune from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies (2023), and the essay collection Luke Skywalker Can’t Read (2015). He is a longtime contributor to Star Trek.com and his writing regularly appears with Inverse, Den of Geek!, Esquire and elsewhere. He lives in Portland, Maine with his family.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

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  1. List of Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes

    Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series which aired in syndication from September 1987 through May 1994. It is the second live-action series of the Star Trek franchise and comprises a total of 176 (DVD and original broadcast) or 178 (syndicated) episodes over 7 seasons. The series picks up about 95 years after the original series is said to have taken place.

  2. Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series 1987-1994)

    Star Trek: The Next Generation: Created by Gene Roddenberry. With Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Marina Sirtis. 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.

  3. Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series 1987-1994)

    Sat, Nov 28, 1987. While on a mission to a planet called Haven, Counselor Troi meets her husband to be, a marriage arranged by her father years before, as the Enterprise encounters a ship far deadlier than any combat could provide. 6.2/10 (3.7K) Rate. Watch options.

  4. Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1

    season 1. The first season of the American television science fiction series Star Trek: The Next Generation commenced airing in broadcast syndication in the United States on September 28, 1987, and concluded on May 16, 1988, after 26 episodes were broadcast. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the crew of the Starfleet ...

  5. Encounter at Farpoint

    Encounter at Farpoint. " Encounter at Farpoint " is the pilot episode and series premiere of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, which premiered in syndication on September 28, 1987. It was written by D. C. Fontana and Gene Roddenberry and directed by Corey Allen.

  6. Watch Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1

    Picking up decades after Gene Roddenberry's original Star Trek series, The Next Generation follows the intergalactic adventures of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his loyal crew aboard the all-new USS Enterprise NCC-1701D, as they explore new worlds. ... Buy Episode 1 HD $2.99. Buy Season 1 HD $26.39. More purchase options ...

  7. Star Trek: The Next Generation

    Denise Crosby. Lt. Tasha Yar. Michael Dorn. Lt. Worf. Gates McFadden. Dr. Beverly Crusher. In Theaters At Home TV Shows. Advertise With Us. On the way to a new star-base, the Enterprise meets an ...

  8. Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series 1987-1994)

    Sat, Nov 3, 1990. When the leader of the Klingon High Council dies, Picard finds himself in the middle of the struggle for the now-vacant position. Meanwhile, Worf reunites with a past love, only to find he now has a son. 8.3/10 (3.7K)

  9. Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1

    Streaming charts last updated: 5:19:39 AM, 04/27/2024. Star Trek: The Next Generation is 923 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The TV show has moved down the charts by -27 places since yesterday. In the United States, it is currently more popular than Doctor Who but less popular than Bar Rescue.

  10. Watch Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1 Episode 1: Star Trek: The

    The crew of the Enterprise is put on trial by a mysterious force called "Q" for all the crimes of mankind.

  11. The Next Generation Episode Guide

    The Next Generation Episode Guide Below is a rated list of every episode of The Next Generation, letting you know which episodes we think are worth checking out if you are new to Star Trek. **BUT** if you'd like to do a quicker watch-through, hitting only the essential episodes of the series, we've provided a 20 episode list to brush up on ...

  12. Star Trek: The Next Generation

    Streaming charts last updated: 9:16:27 AM, 05/01/2024. Star Trek: The Next Generation is 156 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The TV show has moved up the charts by 7 places since yesterday. In the United States, it is currently more popular than The Night Manager but less popular than The White Lotus.

  13. Star Trek: The Next Generation

    Available on Pluto TV, Paramount+, Prime Video. A century after Captain Kirk's five year mission, the next generation of Starfleet officers begins their journey aboard the new flagship of the Federation. Commanded by Captain Jean-Luc Picard the Galaxy class starship Enterprise NCC-1701-D will seek out new life and new civilizations - to boldly ...

  14. Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 1

    Mar 17, 2023. Mar 17, 2023. Mar 17, 2023. Featuring a bigger and better USS Enterprise, this series is set 78 years after the original series -- in the 24th century. Instead of Capt. James Kirk, a ...

  15. Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1 Episodes

    May 16, 1988. While traveling to a meeting with the hostile Romulans, the crew discovers a ship containing three frozen Americans from the 20th century. Every available episode for Season 1 of Star Trek: The Next Generation on Paramount+.

  16. Star Trek: The Next Generation episode guides

    Star Trek: The Next Generation - Notable episodes. Season 1 - crew getting its feet wet; no one but Stewart is really comfortable with his/her character. Writers too are unsure … after "Encounter at Farpoint" (episode #1), the only notables are "Datalore" (#13), which introduces Data's "brother" Lore and thus allows the great Brent Siner to flex those acting muscles a bit ...

  17. Star Trek: The Next Generation

    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 ...

  18. Star Trek: The Next Generation

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

  19. Watch Star Trek: The Next Generation

    Decades after the adventures of the original Enterprise crew, Capt. Jean-Luc Picard leads a new Enterprise on missions to explore unknown worlds. Watch trailers & learn more.

  20. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Encounter at Farpoint (TV Episode 1987

    Encounter at Farpoint: Directed by Corey Allen. With Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Denise Crosby. On the maiden mission of the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), an omnipotent being known as Q challenges the crew to discover the secret of a mysterious base in an advanced and civilized fashion.

  21. Star Trek: The Next Generation

    Featuring a bigger and better USS Enterprise, this series is set 78 years after the original series -- in the 24th century. Instead of Capt. James Kirk, a less volatile and more mature Capt. Jean-Luc Picard heads the crew of various humans and alien creatures in their adventures in space -- the final frontier. 176 EPISODES WITH SUBSCRIPTION.

  22. Star Trek: TNG's "Yesterday's Enterprise" Finally Allowed Denise Crosby

    The classic Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, "Yesterday's Enterprise," gave Lt. Tasha Yar actress Denise Crosby the chance to play the version of the character she had been presented with in her original audition. Denise Crosby's Lt. Tasha Yar was a member of TNG's original cast, but she was unhappy with her limited role and left the series. ...

  23. Star Trek: Discovery's Commander Rayner Is The New Riker

    Star Trek: Discovery's new Number One, Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) has a lot in common with Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) from Star Trek: The Next Generation.In Star Trek ...

  24. Prime Video: Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1

    Star Trek: The Next Generation. Season 1. Picking up decades after Gene Roddenberry's original Star Trek series, The Next Generation follows the intergalactic adventures of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his loyal crew aboard the all-new USS Enterprise NCC-1701D, as they explore new worlds. IMDb 8.7 1987 25 episodes.

  25. Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 7, Episode 21

    Picking up decades after Gene Roddenberry's original Star Trek series, The Next Generation follows the intergalactic adventures of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew aboard the all-new USS Enterprise NCC-1701D as they explore new worlds.

  26. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Unification I (TV Episode 1991)

    Unification I: Directed by Les Landau. With Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn. Picard and Data follow Spock into Romulan space on a dangerous mission.

  27. Star Trek's Data loves visiting prisoners

    I was fascinated to see the relevant scene from the original version of third-season episode The Most Toys, as originally shot with a different actor, David Rappaport.Rappaport, suffering from ...

  28. The Failed Gene Roddenberry Series That Led To DeForest Kelley's Star

    The episode was written by Gene Roddenberry, the creator of "Star Trek." Back in 1986, Kelley was interviewed for "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," and he talked briefly about "333 Montgomery ...

  29. 29 Years Ago, Deep Space Nine Created The Coolest Trill Canon

    As a metaphor for the spectrum of human experiences, the Trill are one of Star Trek's most enduring concepts.But the literal, in-universe workings of the Trill also represent impressive world-building, all of which truly came into its own in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.Yes, the Trill were invented for the 1990 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Host," but the most intricate and ...