News

The Stlv Star Trek convention is in full swing, and Nacelle is there with their new line of 6-inch Star Trek figures. With the first wave now available for pre-order, Collider has an exclusive look at four figures from the line's second wave. That includes two iconic heroes in the form of Worf and Geordi Laforge, an infamous Starfleet traitor, Valeris; and one of the franchise's most intriguing villains, the Romulan Commander.

Worf (Michael Dorn) and Geordi (LeVar Burton) are clad not in their familiar Starfleet uniforms, but in 18th-century naval regalia, as seen in a holodeck scene early in Star Trek: Generations; a similarly attired Data is set to ship as part of the line's fourth wave. Both will come with exchangable parts and accessories. Worf will feature a removable coat and hat, a scroll, chains, and a rope; Geordi, meanwhile, comes with alternate head and hands, a spyglass,...

In the "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" episode "A Space Adventure Hour," Lieutenant LA'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) is asked to test out a brand-new technology on the U.S.S. Enterprise: a holodeck. As Trekkies can tell you, the holodeck is a dedicated room that can create artificial, fully interactive environments, complete with sophisticated NPCs, using holographic emitters, replicator tech, and carefully calibrated force fields. The technology was first introduced, in rudimentary form, in an episode of "Star Trek: The Animated Series" in 1974, although the concept wouldn't be codified until the first episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in 1987. That was when the term "holodeck" was first used. 

The holodeck became the source of many, many "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episodes thereafter. Many of the holodeck concepts were created by the late Trek writer Tracy Tormé. Because it could create simulated environments, the show could have a lot...

Almost four decades ago, in its pilot episode, Star Trek: Tng introduced one of the most powerful beings in the show’s world, Q. Played by John de Lancie, the character of Q had the power to warp realities and place the Enterprise crew in several illusions and simulations, which he had total control over.

A similar character was recently introduced in the MCU with the latest The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Franklin Richards, the son of Reed Richards and Sue Storm, is revealed to be a powerful cosmic being, whose powers attract Galactus to attack their version of Earth to obtain them. Richards possesses several other powers, in addition to reality warping, which are revealed in the movie.

While Franklin Richards is a great addition to the MCU, as his future with the X-Men is quite exciting, Trekkies already have the best version of him with John de Lancie’s Q.

The cult classic comedy show Communitygave a lot to fans. We had Troy and Abed in the Morning, that Glee-inspired episode, and Donald Glover crying over LeVar Burton. And that's just to name a few of the show's iconic moments. One less cheery aspect of the series, however, was Chevy Chase being a little too much like the curmudgeonly character he was playing and causing trouble behind the scenes. Chase, who had a reputation for being difficult on set, left the show in Season 4. In a lengthy profile interview with Collider's Tania Hussain, star Joel McHalespoke about the series and talked about his past love of Chase and how it related to the concept of "never meeting your heroes."

McHale has spoken openly in the past about Chase and told Hussain that part of the issue was the hours. Filming Community brought with it a lot of hours...

Star Trek fans from around the globe are set to descend upon Las Vegas early next month for Creation Entertainment’s annual mega-convention. The event will take place from August 6-10 at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino. It’s essentially one-stop shopping for Star Trek fans, as Creation gathers together talent from across the entire franchise, from The Original Series to Strange New Worlds, from the animated shows to the live-action features, including actors, writers, producers, directors, stunt people, makeup artists, and more.

In recent years, Creation has started to welcome talent from other popular sci-fi franchises, including Galaxy Quest, Battlestar Galactica, and more. The 2025 event will be no exception. And that doesn’t even begin to touch on all the other activities within the event, among them photo ops, autographs, panels, costume contests, live staged readings, auctions, karaoke, parties, etc.

Among the Star Trek guests: William Shatner, Kate Mulgrew,...

Star Trek: The Next Generation said goodbye to one of the best characters of the show in season 2’s episode ‘Shades of Gray.’ Dr. Katherine Pulaski was set to be a permanent replacement for Gates McFadden’s Beverley Crusher, but actress Diana Muldaur left the series after only one season, allowing McFadden to return in season 3.

Everyone knows that Tng grew its wings from season 3 and became a global phenomenon. However, Muldaur’s performance as Dr. Pulaski was severely underrated and deserved more screentime to develop better. The actress, though, was reportedly not too happy with her experience on set and was glad to leave the show after season 2 (via People).

Everybody was out for themselves. I don’t think they were happy to have me there.

Still, her character is loved by hardcore fans, and she’s said that she’s received the same love at fan conventions, having attended multiple times.

An all-new live-action take on a much-loved ‘90s eco-superhero franchise is underway- thanks to Leonardo DiCaprio. While he won’t be returning to the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood spinoff, DiCaprio has firmly positioned himself in the producer’s chair for Netflix’s Captain Planet.

The series is a revival of the original cartoon released in 1990, which featured the voice of Star Trek Tng actor LeVar Burton. Whoopi Goldberg also lent her voice to the animated series. The legacy these stars have left behind might be tough to build on, but we’re excited to see what DiCaprio has in store for Planeteer fans.

Leonardo DiCaprio Revives The Eco-Hero Series Captain Planet

Leonardo DiCaprio’s environmental storytelling efforts go way back. Through his production company Appian Way, DiCaprio has been in talks to pick up a Captain Planet adaptation since 2016, when a feature film, co-written by Glen Powell, was stalled.

Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio is combining powers with Greg Berlanti, the Emmy-nominated producer of shows like The Flash and Arrow, for a live-action reboot of a cult classic 1990s superhero cartoon. Per Variety, DiCaprio and Berlanti are adapting Captain Planet and the Planeteers into a live-action television series at Netflix.

Captain Planet and the Planeteers, or simply Captain Planet, was an animated series from Turner Program Services and Dic Enterprises. It was broadcast on TBS and in syndication from 1990 to 1992. Its sequel, The New Adventures of Captain Planet, ran from 1993 to 1996 and was produced by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. and distributed by Turner Program Services.

The animated series, created by Barbara Pyle and Ted Turner, followed a group of teenagers from around the world who were given rings by the spirit of the Earth, called Gaia, to solve environmental problems.

The Show Will Be Written by a Writer from The Big Bang Theory...

“Captain Planet and the Planeteers,” an animated TBS series from the ’90s about an environmentalist superhero, is being adapted into a live-action series at Netflix with Greg Berlanti and Leonardo DiCaprio as executive producers.

Netflix declined to comment on the adaptation, though Variety has confirmed the news with sources.

Tara Hernandez, best known for creating “Mrs. Davis” on Peacock and writing on “The Big Bang Theory” and “Young Sheldon,” is writing the “Captain Planet” series. Executive producers include Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Leigh London Redman via Berlanti Productions and DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson via Appian Way. Warner Bros. Television, where Berlanti Productions is under an overall deal, is the studio.

The 1990s-era Captain Planet cartoons “Captain Planet and the Planeteers” and “The New Adventures of Captain Planet” were produced by Dic entertainment and Hanna-Barbera and aired on TBS and in syndication from 1990 to 1996. The character was the brainchild of Barbara Pyle...

By your powers combined, Captain Planet is back. The iconic animated eco-hero of the 1990s is going to take pollution down to zero in live-action in a new Netflix TV series. The streamer won the rights to the project at a competitive auction. Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way Productions is working on the series: no surprise, given the star's notable commitments to environmental causes. Greg Berlanti's Berlanti Productions is partnering with them, adding yet another property to their list of superheroic projects.

Deadline reports that Glen Powell will is not currently involved in the project: the Anyone But You star had been attempting to get a live-action Captain Planet project off the ground for years. However, Jono Matt, who was co-writing the project with Powell, is listed as a producer on the new series. The series will be spearheaded by Tara Hernandez, a veteran of The Big Bang Theory...

Star Trek: Voyager’s Kate Mulgrew said that she initially felt a bit out of place when she was invited by Hillary Clinton to talk about women in Stem fields. Mulgrew played Captain Kathryn Janeway in the show, creating history as the first female captain to lead a Star Trek series, and inspired countless women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Mulgrew recounted an incident while on a panel discussion with her Voyager co-star Robert Picardo, where she was invited to the White House by Hillary Clinton, who was the First Lady at the time. She mentioned that she was asked to give a speech to the best of women researchers who attended the event and were looking at her for guidance (via The Planetary Society).

She’d called a group an international group of young scientists whom she thought were particularly promising, and she could think...

In the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Starship Mine", the U.S.S. Enterprise has to undergo a massive, shipwide maintenance routine that requires every single living being -- including the plants -- to be cleared off the ship. It seems that, in its many merry adventures, the Enterprise has taken on a great deal of toxic particles that need to be cleared from the ship's systems. The best way to do this is to run a slow-moving wall of concentrated baryon particles through the entire starship. The field is lethal to organic materials, so everyone has to get off the Enterprise immediately. It's the sci-fi equivalent of getting one's house tented for termites. 

This leaves the Enterprise's senior staff in the care of one Commander Calvin Hutchinson (David Spielberg), who aims to pass the time with an extended reception on the planet below. A chatterbox of the highest order,...

LeVar Burton, who played Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation, reportedly used his character’s Visor eyepiece to have a nap during late-night filming. Created by Gene Roddenberry, Tng saw a new generation of Enterprise crew travelling across the cosmos to search for new cultures and alien species.

La Forge was the chief engineer of the crew and was biologically blind. The Visor technology connected directly to his optic nerves and allowed him to see. However, LeVar Burton was uncomfortable with the device being attached to him throughout filming, and it ironically stopped him from having clear vision. He still reportedly found a use for it.

Did LeVar Burton Use the Visor He Hated So Much to Take Secret Naps on Tng? LeVar Burton in Star Trek: The Next Generation | Credits: Paramount

LeVar Burton was a huge fan of the original Star Trek before he joined the cast of The Next Generation.

Star Trek: Voyager’s Robert Duncan McNeill reportedly asked producer Rick Berman to allow him to direct on day one of production. The actor, who played Tom Paris on the spinoff show, had already seen the transition that stars like Jonathan Frakes had in their careers and hoped to make a second career out of directing and producing.

The actor reportedly wanted to direct for a long time, but many of the shows he was in before Voyager got canceled after season one, and he never got the chance. Hence, he approached Berman early in the process. He said (via Star Trek),

My memory is that literally on day one of the pilot, we — Rick, Garrett Wang, Brannon Braga, and I — were walking away from the sound stage and I said to Rick, ‘You know, I’ve been observing directors for a few years now, on different shows, but every...

In the age of streaming, TV shows are more accessible than ever. You no longer have to wait for reruns—now you can binge-watch any show you like, whenever it suits you. Still, only a handful of shows truly deserve a rewatch, and for good reason. Whether it’s the relatable characters, compelling story arcs, rich themes, thrilling moments, or unforgettable scenes, some shows keep pulling you back in.

From Supernatural to Breaking Bad, we have compiled a list of 15 shows that are endlessly rewatchable. Spanning everything from long-running fantasy dramas and beloved sitcoms to intense crime thrillers, these shows are worth your attention again. If it’s been a while since you watched any of them, now might be the perfect time for a rewatch.

15. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

Joss Whedon used the concept of the 1992 film of the same name to expand the world of Buffy. The...

Though the original series had its cult following, the franchise only became a global hit with Star Trek: The Next Generation. Starring Sir Patrick Stewart, along with an ensemble cast of the bridge crew, the show gained traction by its third season and became a worldwide phenomenon, reviving the franchise.

Many celebrities have been fans of the sci-fi show, with some of them even being a part of Tng, like Whoopi Goldberg and LeVar Burton. Similarly, Robin Williams was also a fan and was reportedly enthusiastic about joining the franchise as a guest star. The writers had also written a part for him, but he ultimately could not join.

Robin Williams almost joined Star Trek: The Next Generation Robin Williams in Mork and Mindy | Credits: ABC

Though Star Trek: The Original Series was canceled after three seasons, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy became pop culture icons, and even now, their characters,...

The next instalment in the Alien franchise, Alien: Earth, is all set to make its debut on Hulu. Created by Noah Hawley, the series follows a group of synthetic beings who are tasked with exploring a crashed space vessel, which houses several different life forms, including the Xenomorph. The show stars Timothy Olyphant, Sydney Chandler, and Alex Lawther.

The Alien franchise recently got a much-needed revival with last year’s Alien: Romulus, and with Fargo’s Noah Hawley at the helm of Earth, it is bound to get better. The recently released trailer revealed several Easter Eggs related to the franchise. One moment in particular could have possible ties to the upcoming Predator film Badlands.

How does the Alien: Earth trailer hint at a connection with Predator: Badlands? Sydney Chandler in Alien: Earth | Credits: FX

The Alien franchise has seen many highs and lows. The films have some of the...

"Star Trek" has a villain problem. Since the original series went to air in the fall of 1966, the galaxy-spanning franchise is at its best when sticking to its thoughtful exploration of humanity through an alien lens. What we remember is a series about hope, even when "Deep Space Nine" is brave enough to ask hard questions about colonialism and the lies of utopia. Yet a show with no conflict is a show that isn't going to stay on the air, and occasionally the bridge crew of the Enterprise finds themselves up against someone or something else that isn't going to budge from a militant point of view.

Many of these conflicts give rise to terrific enemies that leave their mark on the franchise, like the cybernetic hivemind of the Borg, or Khan Noonien Singh, who put eugenics and genetic tampering in the spotlight for stories throughout the franchise. But some...

Looking for a new sci-fi/fantasy show to binge? You can't go wrong with any of these nine series, which run the gamut from brand new to tried and true:

Rosamund Pike (Moiraine Damodred), Josha Stradowski (Rand al’Thor) in The Wheel of Time season 3. Image: Prime Video. The Wheel of Time

Let's get the bad news out of the way first...The Wheel of Time has been cancelled, but that doesn't mean it's not deserving of being on our list. Based on the 14 book-series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, The Wheel of Time books walked so that the Song of Ice and Fire books could run.

If we had to explain this fantasy epic in full, we'd be here all day. It's a magical story about a group of unassuming country kids — Rand al'Thor, Mat Cauthon, Perrin Aybara, Egwene al'Vere and Nynaeve al'Meara — taken on a world-spanning journey...

Star Trek: Tng had an ensemble cast, and more or less all of them got equal focus throughout the seven seasons. With a large main cast, some actors will definitely lose out on storylines. Actress Denise Crosby, who played Tasha Yar, reportedly did not want to just stand as a background actor and left the show in season one.

However, one must wonder if a different actor might have stuck on to the part, and the show itself might have been completely different. According to a casting memo, Crosby was not even in the top five list for the character, and one of the actresses who did make the list, Rosalind Chao, ultimately played Keiko O’Brien.

Star Trek’s casting memo includes Rosalind Chao for Tasha Yar and another character for Denise Crosby Denise Crosby in Star Trek: The Next Generation | Credits: Paramount

The starting seasons of Star Trek: Tng...

Star Trek: Tng gave us some of the most unforgettable characters in the history of television. But even such great shows have moments that age poorly, and one of Tng’s biggest missteps still doesn’t sit right with me. While much has been said about Captain Picard’s traumatic transformation into Locutus, there’s another storyline that quietly did far more damage to Geordi.

The writers should have handled the plot with care, but instead, they turned it into something that made him look like a total creep. And sadly, he didn’t deserve what he got.

The one Star Trek betrayal that still infuriates me isn’t about Picard

Look, I’ve always had a soft spot for Star Trek: The Next Generation as it gave us some of the most memorable characters in sci-fi. But there’s one thing that boils my blood every time I think about it – and no,...

Despite once seeming doomed to fail, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" remains one of the best entry points for new fans open to trying out a "Trek" of their own. The Enterprise D, with its carpet floors, body-hugging uniforms, and a thoughtful, almost philosophical mid-'90s liberal approach to exploration and society is showing its age, but it remains less of a time jump than the original series. While "Deep Space Nine" is finally gathering the audience it deserves for its prescient (and better handled than "Section 31") commentary on the deeper issues hiding under the Federation's facade of utopia, it's still a show that rests on what "The Next Generation" prepared for them.

Above all else, it's the crew that makes this show so cozy a landing zone. That's not to say Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart) and the rest of his adoptive family are perfect -- as the...

The third season of Star Trek: Picard memorably brought back the majority of the cast of The Next Generation, a move that was celebrated by fans. Season 3 drew a near-perfect score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, which was firmly the highest of all three seasons.

There was a downside to bringing back the stars of The Next Generation, even if it resulted in very high acclaim. Per ScreenRant, Terry Matalas was doing an interview for The Sackhoff Show when addressed becoming sole showrunner for Season 3 after serving as co-showrunner alongside Akiva Goldsman for Season 2. He remembered having a vision to make Season 3 feel more like The Next Generation, and from there, all it took was getting Patrick Stewart on board. Unfortunately, the budget would not allow for Stewart's co-stars from the first two seasons to return, meaning that "sacrifices" had to be made.

"We got to the end of [Picard Season 2], and Akiva’s like,...

Fans know Wesley Snipes from Stephen Norrington’s Blade movie, playing the character of a half-human, half-vampire. Imagine if he starred and became known in a different project, say, Star Trek? Yes, the actor almost joined the science fiction franchise in the ‘80s!

He almost played Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation, a 1987 television series that ran for seven seasons. The role ultimately went to LeVar Burton, and Snipes thinks his fellow was a great choice for the part.

Wesley Snipes confirmed he almost joined Star Trek LeVar Burton in Star Trek: The Next Generation / Credits: Paramount Television

Star Trek: The Next Generation held an audition where Wesley Snipes tried to test his luck. Unfortunately, he lost the role of Geordi La Forge to LeVar Burton, and he was initially devastated about it. While speaking with Collider, the Blade star shared:

Yes, that is true. I think that was in the eighties.

Star Trek: Picard season 3 showrunner Terry Matalas explained why it was "terrible" to lose Picard's original actors to make way for the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Santiago Cabrera, Allison Pill, Isa Briones, and Evan Evagora were Star Trek: Picard season 1 series regulars alongside Patrick Stewart, Michelle Hurd, and Jeri Ryan. However, only Ryan and Hurd joined Stewart for Star Trek: Picard season 3, which reunited Admiral Jean-Luc Picard with his crew from the USS Enterprise-d.

Appearing on The Sackhoff Show to discuss his career, including Marvel Studios' Vision Quest and 12 Monkeys, Terry Matalas explained how he joined Star Trek: Picard as co-showrunner for season 2 with Akiva Goldsman. As sole showrunner for Star Trek: Picard season 3, Matalas told host Katee Sackhoff about having to convince Stewart to bring back the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but that season 3's budget required the "sacrifice" of losing...

Get ready to answer more trivia questions on The CW. Trivial Pursuit has been renewed for a second season with a 30-episode order. The first season of 13 episodes finished airing in December.

A game show based on the popular board game first published in 1981, the Trivial Pursuit series is hosted by LeVar Burton. The gameplay occurs on a giant version of the iconic Trivial Pursuit game board as contestants answer trivia questions to win wedges and points. In the first round of each game, three contestants accrue points by answering questions from the six Trivial Pursuit categories -- Entertainment, Geography, Sports & Leisure, Science & Nature, History, and Art & Literature. At the end of the first round, the top two players move on to the next round. The contestant with the most points at...

Today, The CW Network announced that it has renewed family game shows Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble for 30-episode second seasons to air in 2026. Fan favorite Emmy Award-winning actor, director, producer, and podcaster, LeVar Burton will return to host and executive produce Trivial Pursuit.

Multiple Grammy-nominated, Peabody, and Emmy Award-winning actor, writer, producer, director, and comedian Craig Ferguson joins Scrabble as the show’s new host. Former Scrabble host Raven-Symoné (That’s So Raven) stays on board the hit game show as an executive producer for Season 2.

Both are series based on the classic board games and are produced by Hasbro Entertainment alongside Lionsgate Alternative Television, with Mattel Television Studios co-producing Scrabble.

“We are excited to continue growing family game night on The CW by bringing a supersized order of 30 new episodes of both Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble to the network next year,” said Heather Olander, Head of Unscripted Programming, The CW Network.

Trivial Pursuit Pictured (L-r): LeVar Burton — Photo: Entertainment One — © 2024 Entertainment One, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Get ready for more brainy fun on The CW! The network has just announced the renewal of its popular family game shows, Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble, for second seasons, each boasting a super-sized order of 30 episodes set to air in 2026. And there’s more great news! Scrabble is welcoming a new host — the brilliant Craig Ferguson. With his sharp humor and award-winning charm, the Emmy and Peabody winner is set to bring fresh energy and fun to the classic word game. Ferguson himself quipped about his new role, expressing his long-held desire to host the show since realizing his name could spell something rather… interesting! Meanwhile, fans of Trivial Pursuit will be thrilled to welcome back the beloved LeVar Burton as host and executive producer. The Emmy-winning actor, director, producer, and icon from Roots,...

Comedian Craig Ferguson is taking over as host of The CW’s Scrabble, replacing Raven-Symoné, who will remain an executive producer on the recently renewed game show.

Both Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit, hosted by LeVar Burton, have been picked up for 30-episode second seasons to air in 2026 on The CW.

More from TVLineShark Tank Says an Emotional Goodbye to Mark Cuban - Will You Still Watch Without Him?Casting News: Ernie Hudson Joins Boston Blue, Elle Adds Van Der Beek and MoreMichael J. Fox Joins Shrinking Season 3, Marking His First TV Role in 5 Years and Reunion With Bill Lawrence

“We...

Exclusive: The CW has renewed Scrabble for a 30-episode second season and has recruited Craig Ferguson (The Late Late Show) to take over as host.

Trivial Pursuit featuring emcee LeVar Burton has also been picked up for 30-episode second season. Both series that are based on the classic board games will return in 2026 and are produced by Hasbro Entertainment alongside Lionsgate Alternative Television, with Mattel Television Studios co-producing Scrabble.

“I’m cock-a-hoop to be hosting Scrabble,” said Ferguson. “I’ve wanted to do this show ever since I found out the letters of my name can be used to spell Cougar Fingers.”

Trivial Pursuit has been reimagined in a question-packed entertainment format for TV. Play occurs on a giant version of the iconic Trivial Pursuit game board, as contestants battle through a range of play-along question categories to win wedges and beat each other to the center. The victor then...

For Los Angeles-based production workers, 2025 was supposed to be the light at the end of the tunnel. Instead, the year quickly fell into a pattern that has become all too familiar for the local industry when the hopes that things might finally return to normal were squandered yet again by an unprecedented, devastating event.

In January, two historic wildfires ravaged the city, swallowing thousands of homes and leaving more than $250 billion in damages in its wake. After succumbing to runaway production for decades, which avalanched in the last five years following pandemic-related shutdowns and 2023’s historically long, dual strikes, California’s film and television production had been brought to its knees. But rather than view this latest tragedy as a death knell, it was almost as if it became the jolt the local industry needed to fight back.

“I think that really renewed our commitment to doing everything we could...

Actor LeVar Burton has been a part of several known IPs, including Reading Rainbow and Jeopardy, but his most famous role is Star Trek: Tng. He played the chief engineer of the USS Enterprise-d, Geordie La Forge, in the show for seven seasons and four films (and Picard), and wore his signature Visor through most of it all.

The device that allowed the character, who was born blind, to see was reportedly painful for Burton to wear every day for seven years. The Visor was pinched to his temples and restricted his eyes, which really bothered him as an actor. LeVar Burton finally got freedom from the torture device in 1996’s Star Trek: First Contact.

LeVar Burton finally removed his Visor on screen in Star Trek: First Contact LeVar Burton in Star Trek: Tng | Credits: Paramount

LeVar Burton’s Geordie La Forge was born blind, and always wore a Visor,...

Jonathan Frakes explained why newer shows in the Star Trek franchise have inconsistent VFX and CGI. In a Reddit Ama, Frakes joined writer Ken Lazebnik and science consultant Andre Bormanis to ask fans’ burning questions about the franchise. Among other things, the director and actor explained the reason behind Star Trek’s VFX woes.

The franchise has largely been successful in the longer format, with the original series starting out as a TV show. Unlike its competitor sci-fi franchise Star Wars, which only got into streaming and TV after the movies, Star Trek has always been a TV-friendly IP. Hence, a lot of time crunch has reportedly led to some inconsistent quality in the VFX.

Jonathan Frakes explained why the newer Star Trek shows have VFX issues A still from Star Trek: Tng | Credits: Paramount

While it is tradition for cast members to direct an episode in Star Trek,...

Everyone always says: Star Wars is for the movies, Star Trek is for TV. Both franchises are two of the biggest sci-fi IPs and have constantly been in competition with each other, but by design, could not be further apart. George Lucas’ story of rebellion and dictatorship is an action extravaganza, while Gene Roddenberry explored profound questions of humanity.

However, it really seems to be the era of Star Trek as Star Wars has been putting out some divisive content for the past few years. It is yet to reach its heyday of the ‘70s and ‘80s, but the Disney era is truly divisive. Apart from Andor and The Mandalorian, the other shows have been mediocre at best. Star Trek, on the other hand, has been killing it on streaming.

A still from Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back | Credits: Lucasfilm

One of the biggest differences between the...

Wil Wheatonhas been a part of the Star Trekfamily since Wesley Crusher made his debut on Star Trek: The Next Generation. The actor, who is estranged from his parents, has been incredibly vocal about his difficult childhood and, in particular, the fan reaction to Wesley. While he has come around to understand that fans did love Wesley, they just weren't the adults writing mean letters about him, it took Wheaton years to feel love from Star Trek fans. But Wheaton also is opening about how finding his own sense of parental love outside of his own parents and shared that he found it within his Star Trek co-stars.

On a new episode of Michael Rosenbaum's Inside of You podcast, Wheaton shared that he still wanted to reach out to his parents about his success. Wheaton released a memoir in 2022 called Still Just a Geek and has a new podcast called Storytime With Wil Wheaton.

Brent Spiner’s take on Data in Star Trek hit deeper than most fans realize. For many on the autism spectrum, Data wasn’t just a quirky android, he was the only character they truly connected with.

Logical, socially awkward, yet deeply curious about emotion, Data mirrored what it felt like to navigate a world that doesn’t always make sense. Spiner once acknowledged this, noting how powerful that connection was.

Long before representation became a buzzword, Data quietly became a beacon for those who felt different. He didn’t just want to be human, he wanted to understand it. And that made all the difference.

Brent Spiner on why Data meant everything to autistic Star Trek fans Brent Spiner in Star Trek: Insurrection | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Brent Spiner always knew Star Trek: The Next Generation fans were passionate, but what he didn’t see coming? That his android alter ego,...

Michael Dorn is best known for his role as Worf in the Star Trek franchise. The actor played the Klingon character in multiple shows in the franchise, first starring in The Next Generation, after which he had a cameo, much like Sir Patrick Stewart in Deep Space Nine, and finally, with the rest of the Tng cast in Star Trek: Picard.

Dorn’s Worf is an incredible character, and the actor plays him with ease. His popularity was one of the reasons he got a cameo in DS9 instead of other characters. However, the actor’s dreams of mounting a spinoff show based solely on Worf seemed to have been lightly thwarted due to his appearance in Picard.

Michael Dorn’s appearance in Star Trek: Picard may have squashed plans for a Worf-based spinoff Michael Dorn in Star Trek: Picard | Credits: Paramount+

Much like other members of the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation,...

For a generation of fans, Wil Wheaton will always be synonymous with his Star Trek: The Next Generationcharacter Wesley Crusher. Especially since he's reprized the role in Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Prodigy.

However, he has the closest relationship with his former Next Generation castmates, more than 30 years after the series ended. During an appearance on the Inside of You Podcast, Wheaton talked about how hisco-stars still play a big role in his life and acted as parental figures to him at a young age. "There were moments where I wanted to call them to tell them about things," he said. "That is a supernatural impulse. Everyone has parents. Every child has a mom and a dad. And you want to share that with them. And I've just accepted that when I have that impulse, I text my Star Trek family."

Before officially announcing his Storytime Podcast,...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) was an excellent character on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Because he was the chief engineer on the USS Enterprise-d, Burton was given the bulk of the show's trademark technobabble, often talking about subspace manifolds, phase inducers, and the state of the structural integrity field. Technobabble was vital on the series, as it allowed viewers to envision how complicated a vehicle the Enterprise actually was, implying that its navigation required hundreds of people overseeing dozens and dozens of systems. Its complexity made the Enterprise feel more realistic, and, dare I say, plausible.

At the center of it, Geordi wasn't just a master of the Enterprise's engine systems, but he was a nerd about it. He loved machines and complicated technical systems, eager to use his ingenuity to solve complicated engineering problems. All of...

It is not a new thing for members of the Star Trek cast to step behind the camera and take on directing duties for some episodes. Who better than the only ones to feature in every episode to take over the reins sometimes? Actors like Jonathan Frakes and LeVar Burton have directed the most number of Star Trek episodes even after their shows ended.

However, one actress who transitioned into directing and has made it her bread and butter (much like Frakes) is Voyager’s Roxann Dawson. Dawson played B’Elanna Torres in the spinoff show and directed two episodes of the series later. She has since been the guiding force for some of the best network shows of the past few decades.

Roxann Dawson in Star Trek: Voyager | Credits: Paramount Star Trek: Voyager’s Roxann Dawson followed Jonathan Frakes’ footsteps to become a TV director

At this point, it...

Nacelle has unveiled the character lineup for their new wave of Star Trek action figures, and they're kicking it off with the most famous Trek character of all in his final appearance. The company has unveiled the first prototype for their Captain James T. Kirk figure from Star Trek: Generations. After their first wave was revealed earlier this year — now available for pre-order — Nacelle has increased the size of their waves from eight figures to ten by popular demand and also increased the number of major characters.

Star Trek characters don't get more major thanWilliam Shatner's Captain Kirk — except for possibly, Mr. Spock. The new Kirk figure faithfully captures the legendary character's appearance inside the seemingly idyllic Nexus "time ribbon" from Generations, where he encounters his successor, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). It features several accessories from the film, including a jar of dill weed, two eggs, an ax, a stump,...

The Star Trek franchise officially became defined by the nerds when its references were featured extensively in The Big Bang Theory. The four main stars of the show, especially Sheldon Cooper, were vocal fans of the franchise, to the point where they cosplayed as some iconic characters from different shows.

The popularity of this quirk of the characters eventually led to many Star Trek actors making cameos in The Big Bang Theory. Actors like Wil Wheaton and George Takei had hilarious guest roles in the sitcom, and the legendary William Shatner also made an appearance. However, actor Brian George, who was in Voyager, featured in 16 episodes of the sitcom.

Star Trek: Voyager’s Brian George played Raj’s father in The Big Bang Theory The Koothrappalis in The Big Bang Theory | Credits: CBS

One may recognize Brian George best for being the unlucky restaurateur Babu Bhatt in Seinfeld. In fact,...

Jonathan Frakes may have joined the Star Trek franchise as an actor, playing William Riker. But he will forever be attached to the franchise due to his contributions as a director too. Along with his The Next Generation co-star LeVar Burton, Frakes directed multiple episodes of the franchise, with his work being as recent as Strange New Worlds.

Frakes also reprised his role as Riker in several other shows, including the ill-fated series finale of Enterprise. The prequel series’ premature cancellation led to a hiatus in the franchise that lasted more than a decade, and the ending was quite controversial. Frakes agreed and mentioned that his appearance was unnecessary.

Star Trek: Enterprise wanted to please fans and brought in Jonathan Frakes in the finale A still from Star Trek: Enterprise | Credits: Paramount

When the going gets tough, a good cameo can fix anything (just look at the MCU). After the...

The Picard finale was a great affair, but it could have been even bigger! Here's some of the cooler ideas that didn't make it in!

Caution: This article contains Spoilers for Star Trek: Picard Season 3

Star Trek: Picard had a rough go in its first two seasons. Having Patrick Stewart back as Jean-Luc Picard was a great idea, with Star Trek fans excited to see the return of the iconic captain. 

However, the first two seasons were muddled. Seeing a broken Picard looking old as he faced a Romulan plot was hampered by a confusing storyline and a lack of engaging side characters. Season 2 had the return of Q, yet it also suffered with a time travel plotline and a rushed finale. 

Season 3, however, was what Star Trek fans had always wanted: A full-on reunion of the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast on a grand adventure. It was everything fans could hope for,...

Star Trek, while has done pretty revolutionary stuff with its writing, it has also taken some decisions that might be extremely backward. It has been common knowledge that the producers cast Jeri Ryan to play Seven of Nine in Voyager to attract a demographic of viewers to the show. And it worked, leading them to make a similar decision for Enterprise.

However, the model they cast for the role of the Vulcan T’Pol was fortunately a sci-fi fan and a huge fan of the franchise. Actress and model Jolene Blalock revealed that she was a huge fan of Tos and Tng as she was growing up and loved playing the character. However, she was reportedly not a huge fan of her previous modeling career.

Star Trek’s Jolene Blalock had a tough time in her modeling days Jolene Blalock in Star Trek: Enterprise | Credits: Paramount

Set before the events...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

With the possible exceptions of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" and the little-discussed "Star Trek: The Animated Series," none of the extant "Star Trek" shows began at their strongest. Ask any Trekkie, and they will tell you that "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," and "Star Trek: Voyagers" didn't really "get good" until their respective third seasons. By then, their showrunners had each zeroed in on the true nature of their characters, and knew what kind of stories could be explored. 

With "Next Generation," you can sense the shift almost immediately. The third season of that series not only changed the Enterprise officers' uniforms, but it also brought back Dr. Beverly Crusher after actress Gates McFadden had been inexplicably removed for the second season. Even more noticeably, "Next Generation" moved from wide stories about the whole...

Wil Wheaton has been a fixture in the geek world for decades, from Stand By Me to playing Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation to a fictionalized version of himself in The Big Bang Theory. He’s narrated books like Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, The Martian by Andy Weir, and Starter Villain by John Scalzi, and he’s the author of The New York Times bestseller Still Just a Geek: An Annotated Memoir.

Today, Wheaton announced a brand new weekly audiobook podcast called It’s Storytime with Wil Wheaton, in which he narrates speculative fiction stories he loves from places like Lightspeed Magazine, Uncanny Magazine, Clark’s World Magazine, and On Spec. The podcast launches on March 26, 2025, anywhere you get your podcasts.

We got a chance to chat with Wheaton about the inspiration behind it, what we’re going to experience, and getting the blessing of...

A fun detail about all the characters on "Star Trek: The Next Generation": They're all nerds. Sure, they're intelligent and cultured, and many of them are socially graceful -- even humorous and charming -- but they all possess intellectual and cultural obsessions that skew heavily into nerdy territory. Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart), for instance, is a literature nerd and an archaeology nerd. Geordi (LeVar Burton) is clearly an engineering nerd. And, yes, the taciturn, humorless Worf (Michael Dorn) is a nerd. 

Worf lost his biological parents as a child, and he was raised on Earth by human parents. Perhaps longing for cultural meaning, Worf began to study the customs and attitudes of Klingons, and he became careful to follow them down to the letter. He became a nerd for his own culture. Indeed, he became so obsessed with honor, it made him awkward in social situations. Worf yelled at...

When "Star Trek: The Next Generation" first began in 1987, LeVar Burton was probably the biggest star in the cast. He had already been nominated for three Emmys, once in 1977 for playing Kunta Kinte in the celebrated miniseries "Roots," and two more in 1985 and 1986 for hosting the beloved book-based kid program "Reading Rainbow." The latter show would end up netting him 12 Emmy wins between 1990 and 2007, and cement his reputation as one of his generation's preeminent TV celebrities. The fact that he would be selected to play chief engineer Geordi La Forge on "Star Trek" only more deeply entrenched Burton in the public's awareness. 

Geordi La Forge was, more than anything, a nerd. He was deeply interested in machines and engines, and Burton was given the lion's share of NextGen's nonsensical polysyllabic technobabble. He was also notoriously undersexed. Geordi was equipped with a visor that tapped directly into his brain, feeding him...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

In the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "The Enemy", the Enterprise investigates a crashed Romulan vessel on a radioactive, storm-wracked planet called Galorndon Core. Several Enterprise crew-members are able to beam down and rescue one Romulan survivor, but the storms and radiation prevent everyone from returning. Geordi (LeVar Burton) is left behind, as is a second Romulan survivor named Bochra (John Snyder). At first, the injured Bochra claims Geordi as his hostage, but Geordi explains that the radiation will soon make them sick and that it would be wiser for them to work together to escape. 

The bulk of "The Enemy" is devoted to their rescue. Up in orbit, Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) has to do some clever negotiating with a Romulan Commander (Andrea Katsulas), while Geordi and Bochra find ways to survive below. It's an okay episode. 

It seems,...