Star Trek: The Next Generation wasn’t just a TV show—it was a cultural phenomenon that redefined science fiction on screen.
Premiering in 1987, it boldly went where no series had gone before, blending the intellect of Shakespearean drama with the wonder of interstellar exploration.
With its finale in 1994 drawing over 30 million viewers, TNG cemented itself as the gold standard for sci-fi storytelling. But beyond its gripping plots and unforgettable characters, the series holds secrets and surprises even die-hard fans might not know.
Became life-long friends
For those unfamiliar, Star Trek: The Next Generation followed the adventures of the starship Enterprise-D as its diverse crew explored uncharted worlds, solved intergalactic mysteries, and tackled moral dilemmas. Set 100 years after the original Star Trek, it introduced new characters, advanced technology, and thought-provoking stories.
But did you know that many of the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast members became lifelong friends after the series wrapped. Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard) and Jonathan Frakes (Riker) are known for their hilarious camaraderie, often sharing laughs at conventions. They stay in close touch, frequently meet up for dinners, and their incredible chemistry is always evident whenever they’re together.
When LeVar Burton tied the knot in 1992, Brent Spiner stood by his side as best man, while Sir Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, and Michael Dorn took on the roles of ushers.
Martina Sirtis hated Michael Dorn
Among the many friendships that grew from the cast of The Next Generation, one of the most heartwarming is the connection between Michael Dorn, known for his portrayal of the stoic Lt. Worf, and Marina Sirtis, who brought the empathetic Counselor Troi to life.
”I’ve always been attracted to very strong women,” Dorn shared with Buzzfeed.
”I don’t know why. I was just very attracted to our sort of chemistry. We’re just crazy about each other.”
But even though their friendship has endured for over three decades, it didn’t start off smoothly. In fact, as Sirtis openly admits, the two couldn’t stand each other during the show’s first season. Over time, however, their undeniable chemistry brought them closer, sparking rumors that they might secretly be dating.
Despite the speculation, Sirtis and Dorn have always been clear — they weren’t romantically involved then, and they aren’t now.
The Starfleet uniform was very uncomfortable
The Star Trek cast often gets bombarded with questions about their makeup, costumes, and those iconic masks — it’s clearly what fascinates fans the most.
Did you know that the original Starfleet uniform was so uncomfortable that Sir Patrick Stewart’s agent had to step in? He even threatened to sue Paramount if Stewart ended up with muscle or joint damage from wearing the one-piece spandex suit.
That little scare was enough to prompt a wardrobe upgrade, and by season three, the crew traded the stretchy spandex for a much comfier two-piece polyester design.
The unlikely casting of Captain Picard
Believe it or not, Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, wasn’t exactly thrilled about casting Sir Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard. He had his heart set on a younger captain with a full head of hair. But producer Robert H. Justman was so blown away by Stewart’s talent that he campaigned hard to get him the role.
After auditioning plenty of other actors and finding none of them came close, Roddenberry finally gave in.
Here’s where it gets hilarious: for his first meeting with Paramount execs, Stewart wore a hairpiece — on the producers’ suggestion. They were worried the studio might reject him for being bald. The twist? After the meeting, the execs agreed to cast him, but only on one condition: he had to lose the “ridiculous toupee.”
When the cast of the show was first revealed, some media outlets referred to Sir Patrick Stewart as an ”unknown British Shakespearean actor.” To have a little fun with it, Brent Spiner created a poster for Stewart’s dressing room that read, ”Beware: Unknown British Shakespearean actor!”
Worf’s forehead was stolen
Michael Dorn, who brought the fierce Klingon Worf to life, endured a grueling two-hour makeup process each time he suited up for the role. But things weren’t always smooth sailing for Worf’s iconic look. In Season 2, disaster struck when the original prosthetic forehead was stolen!
This unexpected setback left the crew in a panic, racing against the clock to create a replacement. The result? A subtly different forehead piece that gave Dorn’s character a slightly altered appearance.
Wheaton’s priceless response
When the cast decided to push for a salary increase, Wil Wheaton was initially offered a promotion for his character, Wesley Crusher, instead of a pay raise.
The producers suggested that Wesley be made a Lieutenant. Wheaton’s response was priceless: ”So what should I tell my landlord when I can’t pay my rent? ‘Don’t worry, I just made Lieutenant’?”
By the way, Wil Wheaton holds a fun distinction: he is the first Star Trek actor — and the only cast member of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) — to have been born after the franchise had begun.
Painful truth about Geordi’s VISOR
Geordi’s iconic VISOR was actually thrown together on the first day of shooting using a car air filter and a hair band, showcasing some quick improvisation.
While it was key to Geordi’s look, the VISOR wasn’t exactly a walk in the park for actor LeVar Burton. In an interview with the BBC, he revealed that wearing the prop gave him daily headaches and that it had to literally be screwed into the sides of his head. Despite the discomfort, Burton powered through, keeping the iconic device as a core part of Geordi’s identity.
After season two, producers had initially planned to have Geordi undergo an experimental procedure to restore his natural eyesight and eliminate the need for his iconic VISOR eyepiece.
However, realizing how important the VISOR had become as a symbol for the disabled community, they decided to scrap the idea. Geordi La Forge’s VISOR remained an integral part of his character throughout all seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
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LeVar Burton’s secret snooze
Here’s another great little story about LeVar Burton that I just have to share.
During the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, there were long stretches where he would be sitting on the bridge set, often with little to no lines.
This led to some pretty boring moments, and LeVar would sometimes nod off or even fall asleep completely. The best part? His eyes were hidden behind the VISOR, so no one really noticed!
”They’re lying through their teeth..”
In the ’90s, Marina Sirtis was undeniably one of the most beautiful women to grace the sci-fi world. Famous for her British accent, she actually has Greek roots and speaks the language fluently.
Marina Sirtis, who played Counselor Troi, is often showered with compliments about how well-preserved she looks, even today.
Whenever photos of her pop up on social media, fans can’t help but flood the comments with praise, saying she hasn’t changed a bit since her Star Trek days.
”I have a picture on my wall of all of us. It’s the actual photo that Entertainment Weekly had on their cover, and it’s on the wall in my living room. It reminds me of my best friends. And, you know what? I think we all look exactly the same. All the boys have less hair. Michael Dorn is much thinner now than he ever was before. Patrick (Stewart), I think, looks the same. And people always come up to me and said, “You haven’t changed a bit.” They’re lying through their teeth, of course, because 25 years later, that’s not possible. But I think we all still look pretty good. So it’s not too disheartening to watch myself in the early episodes,” she said.
Initially, it was Denise Crosby who was set to play Counselor Troi, while Sirtis was cast as Lieutenant Macha Hernandez, the security chief. However, just before filming the pilot, the two roles were swapped. And we’re glad for that!
Behind the wig: The hair drama on TNG
If you take a closer look at Star Trek: The Next Generation, you might notice a fun behind-the-scenes detail that many fans missed: Marina Sirtis, who played Counselor Troi, actually wore a wig for most of the series! Her real hair was styled around the wig to give her those signature flowing locks that fans loved.
Meanwhile, Gates McFadden, who portrayed Dr. Beverly Crusher, wore a full wig during the first few seasons too. The wig game was definitely strong in the ’80s and ’90s!
Gates McFadden’s own hair caused quite a bit of trouble in Season 1. Her fine red hair was constantly affected by the studio lights, leading to a lot of time spent washing and resetting it to match continuity. By Season 3, the solution was to use a collection of expensive, real-hair wigs. And while Gates was rocking these luxurious wigs, Marina couldn’t help but feel a bit envious! At conventions, Marina has confessed how she was a little jealous of Gates’ wig collection, since she had to make do with a cheaper, nylon fall. But no worries — by Season 4, Marina finally got her own real-hair fall. Talk about a hair upgrade…
So, next time you’re rewatching, keep an eye out for these iconic hair tricks — it’s a fun little nugget of TNG trivia!
From unknown to icon
Marina Sirtis wasn’t a major star when she was offered a role in Star Trek. She admits that she had never watched the original series. ”I admit, I never saw the show but I knew it was popular,” she once said.
I had no idea what I was getting into. They said it would be a year’s work, the ten months promised was the longest job I’ve ever had. The next six years were a bonus.”
Sirtis also mentioned how devastated she was when the show came to an end.
How Riker’s iconic beard was born
When Jonathan Frakes arrived for second-season rehearsals, he sported a beard he’d grown during the 1988 writers’ strike, planning to shave it off before filming began. However, the producers were immediately taken by the new look and asked him to keep it. Just like that, Riker’s iconic beard was born, and it became a defining feature for the rest of the series.
The beard became so iconic that when Frakes finally shaved it off for Star Trek: Insurrection in 1998, fans were quick to notice. Even Q couldn’t resist making a playful jab, quipping, “Riker was more fun before the beard!” Classic Q.
Around the same time, there was a meeting with Gene Roddenberry, producer Rick Berman, and another producer, Hurley. Roddenberry, intrigued by Frakes’ new facial hair, remarked that it gave off a “nautical” vibe. This comment sparked an impromptu executive beard trimming contest, proving that even the smallest details could lead to quirky behind-the-scenes moments. The beard, of course, became just as legendary as Riker himself!
Robin Williams almost joined Star Trek
Star Trek: The Next Generation attracted plenty of celebrities and public figures who were huge fans of the original Star Trek series and jumped at the chance to make guest appearances.
One of the standouts was, of course, Whoopi Goldberg, who became a fan favorite with her recurring role as Guinan. Goldberg actually reached out about being on the series even before it premiered. However, it took nearly a year for her to get a response, as the producers initially didn’t take her inquiry seriously.
Unfortunately, not every request could be granted. Robin Williams, for instance, was eager to join the cast, but because he was busy filming Hook (1991), he had to pass on a role in Season 5, Episode 9, “A Matter of Time.” Instead, Matt Frewer stepped in to fill the spot.
