The Next Generation

Production
Abbreviation:
Original media:
Other media:
In-universe
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Location:


The show premiered the week of28 September1987 and came to a conclusion the week of23 May1994. There were 178 episodes produced over seven seasons, making it the longest runningStar Trek series to date, and the adventures continued onto the big screen in fourmotion pictures. There are numerousnovels,comics, andgames set within and after the series.
Overview[]
TNG chronicled the voyages of thestarshipEnterprise-D, under thecommand ofCaptainJean-Luc Picard on its continuing mission of exploration through theAlpha andBeta Quadrants in the2360sdecade. In that period theEnterprise often found herself in the middle of situations with old enemies (some now friends) such as theKlingons and theRomulans and with new threats including the omnipotentQ, theFerengi, and a threat that would changeStar Trek forever, theBorg.
In2007,The Next Generation celebrated its20th Anniversary.
Media[]
Episodes and movies[]
During its seven-year run,178 episodes were produced, usually 26 per season (the second season had 22 episodes). After the series ended, four films were created between1994 and2002.
The first film,Generations, was a bridge betweenThe Original Series andThe Next Generation. An animated series crossover series was planned in the early 1990s but canceled in pre-production.
The television seriesDeep Space Nine andVoyager were spin-offs of the TNG era, and many concepts were carried over into the prequel seriesEnterprise.
Prose[]
From the very beginning,TNG has had aseries of novels within its setting.Pocket Books produced sixty-three number paperbacks, fourteenyoung adult novels, several hardbacks, unnumbered paperbacks, novelizations, eBooks, as well as a popular so-called "relaunch series" set afterStar Trek Nemesis.
Every multi-series anthology has featured at least oneshort story with aNext Generation setting. The novel seriesTitan,Stargazer, and to a lesser extentKlingon Empire andNew Frontier were direct spin-offs ofTNG, with many characters crossing over.
The establishment ofTNG elements was the central element of theStar Trek: The Lost Era mini-series.
| Star Trek: The Next Generation proseomnibuses |
|---|
| Signature Editions:Pantheon •The Q Continuum •Worlds in Collision •Imzadi Forever •Duty, Honor, Redemption •The Hand of Kahless •Sand and Stars |
Comics[]
TNG comics have been published since1988 by a variety of companies. Between 1988 and1996,DC Comics held the license, where they produced an eighty-issue monthly series, six annuals, eight special issues, and five miniseries.
Marvel Comics was awarded the license in 1996, around the release ofStar Trek: First Contact. They produced five special one-shot comics, as well as numerous stories within theirStar Trek Unlimited series.
WildStorm Comics produced two graphic novels, four four-part miniseries, and twoStar Trek: Special issues.
IDW currently owns the license, and producedThe Space Between, a six-part miniseries in2007. Numerous issues, such asStar Trek: Countdown are set in the post-TNG era and arguably are TNG stories as well.
Audio books[]
Twenty-five abridgedaudiobooks, and one unabridged audiobook have been adapted from TNG novels. One audiobook was adapted from a TNG video game (Star Trek: Borg).
| Star Trek: The Next Generationaudiobooks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alien Voices | Spock vs. Q •Spock vs. Q: The Sequel | |
| Adaptations | Gulliver's Fugitives •Contamination •Reunion •Imzadi •Q-in-Law •Relics •The Devil's Heart •Dark Mirror •Q-Squared •All Good Things... •Star Trek Generations •Crossover •Kahless •Klingon •Borg •Star Trek: First Contact •Ship of the Line •Triangle: Imzadi II •Star Trek: Insurrection •I, Q •TheValiant •The Genesis Wave, Book 1 •The Genesis Wave, Book 2 •The Genesis Wave, Book 3 •Star Trek Nemesis •Genesis Force | |
Video games[]
Thirteenvideo games have been produced forThe Next Generation.
| Star Trek: The Next Generation video games |
|---|
| The Transinium Challenge •Future's Past •Echoes from the Past •A Final Unity •Klingon •Borg •Klingon Honor Guard •Starship Creator •Birth of the Federation •Hidden Evil •ConQuest Online •Armada •Away Team •Armada II •Starfleet Command III •Bridge Commander •Elite Force II •Conquest |
RPGs[]
The Next Generation has had a strong presence inStar Trek RPGs.FASA, the first company to produceStar Trek RPG books, produced two manuals set within the TNG era before losing its license (FASA RPGmodules:First Year Sourcebook,Star Trek: The Next Generation Officer's Manual). WhenLast Unicorn Games took on the RPG license, they released fifteen manuals within theirNext Generation roleplaying game.
The most recent company to publishStar Trek RPGs,Decipher released no exclusivelyTNG books, instead publishing a series of supplements incorporating elements from the entireStar Trek franchise.
Reference works[]
TNG material was first used in the1989 reference workThe Worlds of the Federation. The first solely TNG reference work was theStar Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual released in1991. No new TNG reference work has been published since1998, although a number of franchise-spanning works have been released.
Pan-franchise works include theStar Trek Chronology,The Star Trek Encyclopedia,Federation Passport,Celebrations,Starship Spotter,The Starfleet Survival Guide,Star Charts andShips of the Line.TNG content can also be found inStar Trek reference magazines such as theStar Trek Fact Files andStar Trek: The Collector's Edition.
As well as in-universe reference works there have also been a number of behind-the-scenes books detailing the production of the series, starting withStar Trek: The Next Generation Companion, published by Pocket Books in1992. They followed this withStar Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission andStar Trek: The Next Generation Sketchbook: The Movies. Books on the wholeStar Trek franchise includeThe Art of Star Trek,Aliens & Artifacts,Star Trek 101 and the guide toStar Trek prose worksVoyages of Imagination.
Other media[]
In addition to its RPG,Decipher have also produced theStar Trek Customizable Card Game since1994, which encompasses the entireStar Trek franchise, including numerousTNG based cards.TNG imagery can also be found in theShips of the Line calendars.
Characters[]
Regulars[]
- CaptainJean-Luc Picard:Commanding Officer (2364-onward). Commanded both theUSSEnterprise-D (2364-2371) andUSSEnterprise-E (2372-onward).
- CommanderWilliam Thomas Riker:Executive Officer (2364-2379). Left in 2379 after being promoted to Commanding Officer of theUSSTitan.
- Doctor/CommanderBeverly Cheryl Crusher:Chief Medical Officer (2364,2366-2379,2380-onward). Briefly left the Enterprise twice in 2364 and 2379 to headStarfleet Medical.
- Doctor/CommanderKatherine Pulaski: Chief Medical Officer (2365). Temporarily replaced Doctor Crusher as Chief Medical Officer in 2365, later returning to her former position aboard theUSSRepulse.
- Lieutenant CommanderData:Second Officer/Senior Science Officer/Senior Operations Officer (2364-2379). Killed in 2379 aboard theScimitar.
- Lieutenant Commander/CommanderDeanna Troi: Senior Counsellor/Senior Diplomatic Officer (2364-2379). Left in 2379 to work aboard the USSTitan with her husband, Commander Riker.
- LieutenantNatasha Yar: Chief of Security/Senior Tactical Officer (2364). Killed in 2364 byArgus.
- Lieutenant j.g./Lieutenant/Lieutenant Commander/Commander/CaptainGeordi La Forge:Chief Engineer (2365-onward).
- Lieutenant j.g./Lieutenant/Lieutenant Commander/CommanderWorf: Chief of Security/Senior Tactical Officer (2364-2371, 2379); Executive Officer (2380-onward). Replaced Lieutenant Yar after her death in 2364. After theEnterprise-D's destruction, began to work aboard stationDeep Space 9. Returned to theEnterprise-E in 2379, eventually replacing Commander Riker as Executive Officer the following year.
- Cadet/EnsignWesley Robert Crusher: Senior Flight Controller (2365-2367). Enrolled inStarfleet Academy in 2367, before resigning fromStarfleet all together to become aTraveller in2370.
Recurring characters[]
- Chief Petty OfficerMiles O'Brien:Senior Transporter Officer. Left in2369 to work on stationDeep Space 9.
- Guinan: Civilian/Bartender inTen-Forward from 2365 until theship's destruction in2371.
- Alexander Rozhenko: Civilian and son of Commander Worf. Left in 2369 to live with relatives on Earth.
- Nurse/EnsignAlyssa Ogawa: Senior Nurse. Transferred to the USS Titan in 2379.
- Ensign/LieutenantRo Laren: Senior Flight Controller. Resigned in2370 due to joining the Maquis.
- LieutenantReginald Barclay
- Keiko O'Brien: Civilian and wife of Chief O'Brien. Left in 2369 with her family.
- AmbassadorLwaxana Troi
- Q
- Vash
- Vice AdmiralAlynna Nechayev
Cast[]
- Patrick Stewart asCaptainJean-Luc Picard
- Jonathan Frakes asCommanderWilliam T. Riker
- LeVar Burton asGeordi La Forge
- Denise Crosby asNatasha Yar
- Michael Dorn asWorf
- Gates McFadden asDoctorBeverly Crusher
- Marina Sirtis asCounselorDeanna Troi
- Brent Spiner asData
- Wil Wheaton asWesley Crusher
- John de Lancie asQ
- Robert O'Reilly asGowron
- Majel Barrett asLwaxana Troi
Setting[]
Major cultures and organizations[]
- Borg Collective
- Ferengi Alliance
- Klingon Empire
- Maquis
- Q Continuum
- Romulan Star Empire
- United Federation of Planets
Appendices[]
Images[]
Publicity photos[]
Connections[]
External links[]
- Star Trek: The Next Generation article atMemory Alpha, the wiki for canonStar Trek.
- Star Trek: The Next Generation article atWikipedia, the free encyclopedia.









