Set 70 years after the final voyage of the original crew of the Enterprise in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), we now follow a new crew aboard a highly advanced and improved U.S.S. Enterprise-D. In the 24th century, the Enterprise is commanded by Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who leads a crew of various humans and aliens on a journey to distant planets, to seek out new life and to boldly go where no one has gone before. I have been a huge fan of the original Star Trek (TV Series 1966-1969) and was an even bigger fan of their movies, so I was eager to see the show that followed, which became such a beloved aspect of the franchise. Personally, I was both excited and optimistic when going into it. I was so looking forward to more from this interesting universe however, I was slightly worried it would feel like a replacement of the OG crew. This, of course, was a needless concern. Not once did I feel like they were replacing the classic but instead continuing their legacy in a new and refreshed way with a new set of faces and adventures on the horizon. Releasing back in the late 1980s, (coinciding with the original theatrical movies), this program introduced a whole new Enterprise (model NCC 1701-D) with a fresh group to pilot her voyage. This generation of space travellers consists of: Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Commander William T. Riker, Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge, Lt. Worf, Doctor Beverly Crusher, Counselor Deanna Troi and Lt. Comdr. Data. Each character brought a unique quality to the show and had their own abilities, skills and traits that were only expanded upon greatly with episodes that fleshed out each member individually. This was a factor I thoroughly appreciated as I felt this devotion to character-driven narratives was lacking in the original series. We learn about their lives, history, struggles, background, culture and more, which is so fascinating to explore. I loved each member of the crew equally and how different they were. From the blind visor-wearing Geordi, to the only Klingon in Starfleet Worf, the telepath Troi to the android Data. There is such a vast group of individuals that despite their varying different lives and backgrounds, they all work together, help one another and share a close friendship. Throughout the series, multiple characters appear in occasional episodes that also receive just as much development as the main cast who further expands the crew of the Enterprise. There's Miles O'Brien, Guinan, Lt. Barclay, Doctor Pulaski, Ro Laren, Lt. Tasha Yar, Wesley Crusher and many more. Alongside the crew, the Enterprise has seen an overhaul now taking a bigger crew, has a new layout, updated tech including a holodeck that can create realistic environments/people to interact with and can even separate the saucer section, allowing two parts of the ship to be operated individually. In the 24th century, not only has the Enterprise changed, but so has other technology, like the communicators that went from a handheld device to a small badge on their person., which is a nice bit of attention to detail. Times have also changed with the once rival Klingons now being a part of the federation with other adversaries taking the spot like the Romulans, the menacing Borg and the Ferengi. There is also Q, a God-like being who can conjure anything at his will, who likes to show up and play with the crew, especially Picard. The show has an epic fanfare title sequence taken from Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) that has a couple of alterations made to Jerry Goldsmith's iconic rendition that has now become so associated with this series. The program has 7 seasons, which goes to show just how popular it was and it came into its own around the 3rd season and onwards. Overall, The Next Generation is a show I truly adore that follows in the footprints of its predecessor whilst delivering a new and delightful experience. Each member is captivating with fully fleshed-out stories and history that make them certain to become fan favourites for many. With some phenomenal stories, effects, sets and acting, Star Trek doesn't get better than this. The crew's adventures continue however in Star Trek: Generations (1994).
Creator: Gene Roddenberry
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