News

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Gene Roddenberry's optimistic space opera "Star Trek" debuted in September 1966, and it wasn't a hit. "Star Trek," while visually striking enough to warrant stories in TV guide, struggled through its first few years, rarely bringing in the types of blockbuster numbers that NBC would have liked. Indeed, many Trekkies can tell you that "Star Trek" only lasted into its third season thanks to a concerted letter-writing campaign from fans, begging that it be kept on the air. "Star Trek" wouldn't become popular until it was in syndication in the 1970s. Reruns allowed a new audience of obsessives to discover it, and eventually, "Star Trek" conventions began to form. "Star Trek" has been a pop phenomenon ever since. 

But like any long-running pop phenomenon, sometimes the creators run low on ideas. Indeed, longtime watchers of "Star Trek" can likely point...

In the eyes of Trekkies, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" may be the greatest TV series of all time. No other show -- not "The Sopranos," not "M*A*S*H," not "Manimal" -- has come close to the high quality and rich premise of the adventures of the Enterprise-d in the 24th century. Famously, creator Gene Roddenberry took core concepts from his 1966 "Star Trek" series and enhanced them for "The Next Generation," creating an even more aggressively utopian world that was even more forthright about its anticapitalist, anticolonialist intentions. He even instigated a rule among the show's writers that no two characters were allowed to bicker, and no stories could stem from interpersonal conflicts. In Roddenberry's vision, everyone got along at all times.

Writers, naturally hated this idea, as they felt conflict is the best way to create drama. For the first two seasons, Roddenberry, writers, and lawyers all butted heads over the series.

Data shines as a skilled commander, proving himself worthy of leading the USS Enterprise-d multiple times. Despite facing bias as an android, Data's quick thinking and confident leadership skills always prevail. From overcoming a viral outbreak to saving the ship from Romulan threats, Data excels as acting Captain.

Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) takes command of a starship on five separate occasions in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and he proves himself to be an incredibly skilled commander every time. For seven seasons on Tng, Data serves as the second officer on the USS Enterprise-d under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). Data's android abilities and resistance to disease or mental coercion prove invaluable on multiple occasions, and the Enterprise would have been lost several times over if not for Data. Data's quest to discover his humanity became a major storyline on Tng, but the android never seemed...

Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1 struggled to find its footing, and "Angel One" is often cited as one of its worst episodes, lacking nuance and making odd choices. The episode attempts to critique gender roles through an obvious inversion of the patriarchy, but fails spectacularly. It sidelines the main female characters and focuses on Commander Riker as the hero, despite its supposed intention to celebrate women. "Angel One" comes after successful episodes like "The Big Goodbye" and "Datalore," making it feel like a significant step backward. Its use of cliches from the original Star Trek series and a meaningless secondary plot contribute to its status as a low point in the season.

Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1 struggled to find its footing, and while some episodes showed glimpses of the greatness that was to come, others, like this infamous episode, aged particularly poorly. Following the adventures of Captain...

"Angel One" is widely regarded as one of the worst episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation's first season, filled with clichés and lacking nuance. The episode attempts to critique gender roles but falls short, as the reversal of norms is undermined by a romantic storyline and the heroism of the male lead, Riker. In Star Trek: Lower Decks, Angel One has become a tourist destination, suggesting that the planet has become more welcoming to visitors and may have joined the Federation.

One of Star Trek: The Next Generation's worst episodes introduced the planet Angel One, which would go on to become a tourist destination by the time of Star Trek: Lower Decks. Tng got off to a rough start with its rocky first season, and a couple of episodes stand out as particularly infamous. While many of the stars of Tng cite "Code of Honor" as their least favorite episode,...

Commander Riker had numerous romantic relationships throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation, but his true love was always his Imzadi, Counselor Deanna Troi. Riker experienced various romantic encounters, including a planet leader, a holographic character, and a colonist's daughter, among others. Despite several flings and crushes, Riker and Troi eventually rekindled their romance, got married, and had two children, solidifying their beautiful love story.

Over the course of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) justifiably earned the reputation of being a ladies' man. Taking over the moniker from Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) of Star Trek: The Original Series, Riker had several episode-long romances throughout his time on the Enterprise. As First Officer of the USS Enterprise-d under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Riker had plenty of opportunities to encounter potential romantic partners both on and off the ship. Whether he...

Karen Montgomery, who forged her way in the television industry as an actress and producer, died on Friday after battling breast cancer for some time, according to a report.

She was 66.

Montgomery's most notable on-screen role was as Princess Beata in Star Trek: The Next Generation, before she moved behind the camera and worked as an assistant to screenwriters, directors and producer of the 1978 film, Coming Home, Variety reports.

She reportedly continued her behind-the-scenes career working in the development department of various independent film companies, helping to produce multiple films including, Row Your Boat, 'Til There Was You and Diary of a Hitman.

Daniel Radcliffe will star in the indie comedy The Amateur Photographer. Christopher Monger directs from his own screenplay, based on his novel of the same name. Variety reports that the story is based in the 1970s and follows a young man who discovers his artistic when being drafted by residents of a sleepy little mill town in New England to photograph their most intimate moments. He battles local authorities while bringing a bit of a velvet revolution to the community. Producing are Ted Hope and Anne Carey via This Is That Productions, alongside Karen Montgomery...