Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry. It originally aired from September 1987, to May 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 Series. Set in the latter third of the 24th century, when Earth is part of the United Federation of Planets, it follows the adventures of a Starfleet starship, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), in its exploration of the Alpha quadrant and Beta quadrant in our galaxy. In the 1980s, Roddenberry, who was responsible for the original Star Trek, Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973–1974), and the first of a series of films was tasked by Paramount Pictures with creating a new series in the franchise. He decided to set it a century after the events of his original series. The Next Generation featured a new crew: Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Jonathan Frakes as William Riker, Brent Spiner as Data, Michael Dorn as Worf, LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge, Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi, Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher, Denise Crosby as Tasha Yar, Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher, and a new Enterprise.

The show was very popular, reaching almost 12 million viewers in its 5th season, with the series finale in 1994 watched by over 30 million viewers. Due to its success, Paramount commissioned Rick Berman and Michael Piller to create a fourth series in the franchise, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which launched in 1993. The characters from The Next Generation returned in four films: Star Trek Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002), and in the television series Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023). The series is also the setting of numerous novels, comic books, and video games. It received many accolades, including 19 Emmy Awards, two Hugo Awards, one Peabody Award, and six Saturn Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award for the entire cast in 2024. Although the cast members were contracted for eight seasons, Paramount ended The Next Generation after seven, which disappointed and puzzled some of the actors, and was an unusual decision for a successful television show. Paramount then made films using the cast, which it believed would be less successful if the show were still on television.

Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard is the commanding officer of the USS Enterprise-D. Stewart also played the character in the pilot episode of Deep Space Nine, all four TNG theater films, and in the eponymously titled latest series Star Trek: Picard. Jonathan Frakes as Commander William T Riker is the ship's first officer. The Riker character was influenced by concepts for first officer Willard Decker in the Star Trek: Phase II television series. Decker's romantic history with helmsman Ilia was mirrored in The Next Generation in the relationship between Riker and Deanna Troi. Riker also appears in an episode each of Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise, and later reprised the role in Star Trek: Picard and in the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks. In addition to William Riker, Frakes played William's transporter-created double, Thomas, in one episode each of The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. LeVar Burton as Lieutenant Geordi La Forge was initially the ship's helmsman, but the character became chief engineer beginning in the second season. Burton also played the character in an episode of Voyager and the third season of Star Trek: Picard.

Denise Crosby as Lieutenant Tasha Yar is the chief of security and tactical officer. Crosby left the series near the end of the first season, and the Yar character was killed. Yar returns in alternate timelines in the award-winning episode "Yesterday's Enterprise" and the series finale, "All Good Things...". Crosby also played Commander Sela, Yar's half-Romulan daughter. Michael Dorn as Lieutenant Worf is a Klingon. Worf initially appears as a junior officer fulfilling several roles on the bridge. When Denise Crosby left near the end of the first season, the Worf character succeeded Lieutenant Yar as the ship's chief of security and tactical officer. Dorn reprised the role as a regular in seasons four through seven of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the third season of Star Trek: Picard. He also played another Klingon, Worf's grandfather and namesake, in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. With 284 on-screen appearances, Dorn has the most appearances of any actor in the Star Trek franchise. Gates McFadden as Doctor Beverly Crusher is the Enterprise's chief medical officer. As a fully certified bridge officer, Dr. Crusher had the ability to command the Enterprise if circumstances required her to do so. She also, on occasion, commanded night-watch shifts on the ship's main bridge to stay on top of starship operations. McFadden was fired after the first season, but was rehired for the third season[56] and remained for the remainder of the series. Her absence in the second season was explained by her transfer to Starfleet Medical. She returned to the role for the third season of Star Trek: Picard.

Marina Sirtis as Lieutenant Commander Deanna Troi is the half-human, half-Betazoid ship's counselor. Starting in the season seven episode "Thine Own Self", Counselor Troi, having taken and completed the bridge-officer's test, is later promoted to the rank of commander, which allowed her to take command of the ship, and also perform bridge duties other than those of a ship's counselor. The character's relationship with first officer Riker was a carry-over from character ideas developed for Phase II. Troi also appeared in later episodes of Voyager, in the finale of Enterprise, and in the first and third seasons of Star Trek: Picard. Brent Spiner as Lieutenant Commander Data an android who serves as second officer and operations officer. Data's "outsider's" perspective on humanity served a similar narrative purpose as Spock's in the original Star Trek. Spiner also played his brother, Lore, and his creator, Noonien Soong. In Enterprise, Spiner played Noonien's ancestor, Arik, and contributed a brief voiceover (heard over the Enterprise-D's intercom) in the Enterprise finale. In Star Trek: Picard., Spiner reprised the roles of Data and Lore and portrayed the new roles of Altan Inigo Soong and Adam Soong. Wil Wheaton as Beverly Crusher's son Ensign Wesley Crusher He becomes an acting ensign, and later receives a field commission to ensign, before attending Starfleet Academy. After being a regular for the first four seasons, Wheaton appeared occasionally as Wesley Crusher for the remainder of the series. Wheaton reprised the role in Star Trek: Nemesis and Star Trek: Picard.



Patrick Stewart ..... Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes ..... Commander William T Riker
Brent Spiner ..... Lt Commander Data
LeVar Burton ..... Lt Commander Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn ..... Lt Worf
Marina Sirtis ..... Counselor Deanna Troi
Gates McFadden ..... Doctor Beverly Crusher
Wil Wheaton ..... Ensign Wesley Crusher
Denise Crosby ..... Lt Natasha Yar

Andreas Katsulas ..... Romulan Commander Tomalak
Armin Shimerman ..... Bractor
Amanda McBroom ..... JAG Phillipa Louvois
Ashley Judd ..... Ensign Robin Lefler
Brian Bonsall ..... Alexander Rozhenko
Brian Brophy ..... Commander Bruce Maddox
Barbara March ..... Klingon Officer Lursa
Bob Gunton ..... Captain Benjamin Maxwell
Brent Spiner ..... Lore
Ben Vereen ..... Edward La Forge
Biff Yeager ..... Lt Commander Argyle
Brian Thompson ..... Klingon Lieutenant Klag
Bebe Neuwirth ..... Lanel
Beth Toussaint ..... Ishara Yar
Christopher McDonald ..... Lieutenant Richard Castillo
Colm Meaney ..... Chief Miles O'Brien
Carolyn McCormick ..... Minuet
Chip Lucia ..... Ambassador Ves Alkar
Charles Cooper ..... Klingon Chancellor K'mpec
Christopher Collins ..... Klingon Captain Kargan
Charles H Hyman ..... Klingon Lieutenant Konmel
Carel Struycken ..... Mr Homn
Clyde Kusatsu ..... Admiral Nakamura
Dwight Schultz ..... Reginald Barclay
Diana Muldaur ..... Dr Katherine Pulaski
Denise Crosby ..... Romulan Sela
David Ogden Stiers ..... Dr Timicin
David Froman ..... Klingon Chancellor K'nera
Daniel Davis ..... Professor James Moriarty
Dey Young ..... Hannah Bates
Danitza Kingsley ..... Ariana
Doug Wert ..... Lieutenant Jack Crusher
DeForest Kelley ..... Admiral Leonard McCoy
Ed Lauter ..... Lt Commander Albert
Eric Menyuk ..... The Traveler
Famke Janssen ..... Kamala
Gabriel Damon ..... Jeremy Aster
Gina Hecht ..... Mauna Apgar
Gwynyth Walsh ..... Klingon Officer B'Etor
Harriet Leider ..... Amarie
Hallie Todd ..... Lal
Jacqueline Brookes ..... Admiral Brand
Jessie Ferguson ..... Lutan
John de Lancie ..... Q
James Doohan ..... Captain Montgomery Scotty
Jennifer Hetrick ..... Vash
Jean Simmons ..... Norah Satie
Jonathan Del Arco ..... Hugh
John Snyder ..... Centurion Bochra
Kelsey Grammer ..... Captain Morgan Bateson
Karen Montgomery ..... Mistress Beata
Ken Thorley ..... Mot
Larry Dobkin ..... Klingon Ambassador Kell
Leonard Nimoy ..... Ambassador Spock
Lycia Naff ..... Sonya Gomez
Michelle Forbes ..... Ensign Ro Laren
Mick Fleetwood ..... Antedean Ambassador
Marta DuBois ..... Marta
Majel Barrett ..... Lwaxana Troi
Mark McChesney ..... Armus
Mark Lenard ..... Ambassador Sarek
Mark Margolis ..... Dr Nel Apgar
Mary Kohnert ..... Ensign Tess Allenby
Michael G Hagerty ..... Klingon Captain Larg
Mickey Cottrell ..... Chancellor Alrik
Michelle Phillips ..... Jenice Manheim
Natalia Nogulich ..... Alynna Nechayev
Nikki Cox ..... Sarjenka
Olivia d'Abo ..... Amanda Rogers
Patti Yasutake ..... Nurse Alyssa Ogawa
Page Leong ..... Ensign April Anaya
Paddi Edwards ..... Anya
Patrick Massett ..... Klingon Council Duras
Patricia McPherson ..... Ariel
Paul Sorvino ..... Nikolai Rozhenko
Ray Reinhardt ..... Admiral Aaron
Renee Jones ..... Lieutenant Aquiel Uhnari
Robert O'Reilly ..... Klingon Leader Gowron
Rosalind Chao ..... Keiko O'Brien
Robert Ito ..... TAC Officer Chang
Roy Brocksmith ..... Sirna Kolrami
Richard Poe ..... Gul Evek
Robert Duncan McNeill ..... Nicholas Locarno
Ray Walston ..... Boothby
Sam Hennings ..... Ramsey
Sheila Franklin ..... Ensign Felton
Suzie Plakson ..... Ambassador K'Ehleyr
Stephanie Beacham ..... Countess Barthalomew
Saul Rubinek ..... Kivas Fajo
Susan Gibney ..... Dr Leah Brahms
Tim Russ ..... Devor
Tom Jackson ..... Leader Anthwara
Tony Todd ..... Klingon Captain Kurn
Vyto Ruginis ..... Chief Engineer Logan
Whoopi Goldberg ..... Guinan
Wayne Grace ..... Governor Torak

















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