Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Genesis" 1994

The nineteenth episode of the seventh season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Genesis, aired March 19, 1994.  I enjoyed this episode, even though it seems not many other people did.  Gates McFadden, who plays Dr. Beverly Crusher, directed the episode. 

Capt. Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart) and Data (Brent Spiner) go chasing after a malfunctioning torpedo in an asteroid field.  Upon their return to the Enterprise, they discover that the crew has inexplicably mutated into strange creatures.

The episode won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Drama Series.  It was nominated for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Editing for a Series and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Makeup for a Series. 

"Star Trek: First Contact" wins 3 Saturn Awards 1997

Star Trek: First Contact, the second appearance of the Next Generation crew, was nominated for 10 Saturn Awards from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. It took home three of the prizes at the annual ceremony held July 23, 1997.

Brent Spiner won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Data, and Alice Krige won Best Supporting Actress for her performance as the Borg Queen.  Deborah Everton won for Best Costumes.

Patrick Stewart was nominated for Best Actor as Jean-Luc Picard.  There were no nominees for Best Actress from the movie, which is a crime, since Alfre Woodard was awesome!  She deserved a nomination as much as Helen Hunt, Frances McDormand, and Penelope Ann Miller.  With the given nominees, I would have preferred to see Penelope Ann Miller win for her work in The Relic.

Star Trek: First Contact was nominated for Best Science Fiction Film. Jonathan Frakes was nominated for Best Director.  Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore were nominated for Best Writing. Michael Westmore, Scott Wheeler, and Jake Garber were nominated for Best Make-up. Jerry Goldsmith was nominated for Best Music (another tragedy that he didn't win). John Knoll with Industrial Light & Magic was nominated for Best Special Effects.

Independence Day had 11 nominations and won three.  The Relic, one of horror favorites, received two nominations.  Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie had one nomination.  Twister got four nominations.

Star Trek: The Next Generation episode 'All Good Things..." wins Primetime Emmy 1994

The final episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, All Good Things..., won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Visual Effects at the 46th ceremony, held September 11, 1994.  It also won the Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Drama Series.

It had been nominated for another eight: Outstanding Drama Series (Picket Fences?  Seriously? Oh,  well.  Angela Lansbury and Helen Mirren got ripped off, too), Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Editing for a Single Camera Production, Best Makeup, Best Music Composition, Best Sound Editing, and Best Hairstyling.

A fitting end for one of the best television series ever!

"Star Trek: Nemesis" released 2002

Star Trek: Nemesis, the fourth and final movie to feature the Next Generation cast, debuted in US theaters December 13, 2002.  The film was the first to feature the Romulans primarily.  Unfortunately, it was not the box-office success as the previous Star Trek movies.  It was the first film that did not open at #1 its first weekend.  Due to its poorer than expected performance, subsequent movies featuring the Next Generation cast were cancelled. 

The original crew of Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn and Marina Sirtis, appeared.  Tom Hardy and Ron Perlman played antagonists.  There were cameos by Kate Mulgrew as Admiral Kathryn Janeway, Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher, Majel Barrett as the computer's voice and Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan.  

Tom Hardy was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor. 

"Star Trek: Insurrection" debuts 1998

Star Trek: Insurrection, released December 11, 1998, is the third in the Star Trek movies featuring the Next Generation cast. 

The movie is about a planet with regenerative radiation, where the people never grow old.  The radiation  regenerates their bodies, making them immortal.  

Jonathan Frakes, who plays Commander Riker, directed.  The entire cast of the Next Generation appeared in the movie.  Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, and Marina Sirtis.  F. Murray Abraham played the main antagonist. 

Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Disaster" airs 1991

Another of my favorite episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation series Disaster aired October 19, 1991.  After the Enterprise hits a quantum filament, the ship is incapacitated, isolating the crew.  Troi, Miles O'Brien and Ensign Ro are trapped on the bridge.  Picard is trapped in a turbolift with three children and his child-skills are put to the test.  Riker, Data, Worf and Keiko O'Brien are stuck in Ten Forward.  In a hilarious break from the drama, Keiko goes into labor and Worf has to deliver the baby.

Star Trek: The Next Generation episode 'Thine Own Self' airs 1994

This was another one of my favorite episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Thine Own Self which aired February 12, 1994.  Data (Brent Spiner) is tracking a failed probe which crashed onto a primitive planet, that is unaware of interstellar beings and warp drive.

Unfortunately, Data also crashes and loses his memory.  He wanders into a nearby village that appears to be technologically similar to medieval England.  He is taken in by a kindly widower Garvin and his daughter Gia.  Without his memory, Data inadvertently exposes the inhabitants to radioactive rocks, and soon people start getting sick.  So one can imagine what happens when a stranger comes to town and people fall ill.

The village doctor Talur (played by actress Ronnie Claire Edwards [an Okie!] is a strong female character who accepts Data and is not afraid of him.

Meanwhile, Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) is taking her bridge officer tests, which Riker (Jonathan Frakes) is supervising. She keeps failing the engineering engineering test. 

Until she learns it isn't about engineering.

Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Timescape" airs 1993

June 12, 1993, Star Trek: The Next Generation aired the episode Timescape, one of my favorite episodes of the series.  Captain Picard, Data, Geordi and Counselor Troi are returning to the USS Enterprise when they discover the ship and a Romulan vessel apparently attacking each other but frozen in time.  It takes some Geordi ingenuity to help Picard, Data and Troi board the Enterprise and stop a warp breach in progress.

Last episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation "All Good Things" airs 1994

On May 23, 1994, the last episode of one of the best shows on television ever aired.  Star Trek: The Next Generation, which had been on for seven seasons ended its run with "All Good Things".  Fortunately, it was the start of the movie run for the cast, who made 4 movies together.

The final episode brought back Lt. Yar and Chief O'Brien who had left the series earlier for different reasons.

They don't make them like they used to.  All good things...

Happy birthday, Data!

Brent Spiner, born February 2, 1949 in Houston, Texas, is probably best known for his portrayal as everyone's favorite android Lt. Commander Data, in the Star Trek franchise.  According to imdb.com, he was a groomsman at Marina Sirtis' wedding, best man at Patrick Stewart's wedding and godfather to Gates McFadden's son.  So much for off-screen rivalries!