Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987 — 1994)

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry. Spanning 178 episodes over seven seasons, it originally aired in syndication from September 28, 1987 to May 23, 1994. The third installment in the Star Trek franchise, TNG draws inspiration from its predecessor, Star Trek: The Original Series. It is set in the late 24th century when Earth is a member of the United Federation of Planets and follows the journey of the Starfleet starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) as it explores the Alpha and Beta quadrants of the Milky Way galaxy. The show garnered high viewership, with its fifth season reaching almost 12 million viewers and its final episode in 1994 watched by over 30 million people.

At Roddenberry’s request, Paramount executive Rick Berman was brought on to the series. Star Trek veterans such as Bob Justman, D.C. Fontana, Eddie Milkis, and David Gerrold were also hired. Initial ideas for the show included the possibility of featuring some of the original series’ cast as ‘elder statesmen’, and Roddenberry even suggested that a spaceship may not be used at all in the new series, considering the advancement of travel in 100 years. However, one major change in Roddenberry’s approach was his belief that workplace conflicts would no longer exist in the future; therefore, there would be no similar ‘crusty banter’ among characters like Kirk, Spock, and Leonard McCoy. Actor Patrick Stewart noted that Berman was more open to tackling political themes than Roddenberry.