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The upcoming series "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" is set in the 32nd century, within the ivy-covered walls of the titular college-like institution. Starfleet Academy, as Trekkies can tell you, is the incredibly rigorous school that future Starfleet officers must attend before they can serve as senior staff members on a starship. Starfleet Academy typically takes four years to complete, and involves complex studies into engineering, history, ethics, biology, piloting, athletics, and personal integrity. There are a lot of lessons about cultural understanding, but just as many about the inner workings of warp manifolds. It's very difficult to get into the Academy and just as difficult to graduate. Once a student's tenure is fulfilled, they are promoted to the rank of ensign, and, in many cases, given a ship to serve on. Many Starfleet cadets are allowed field experience as well, and some will serve on starships prior to graduating.

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“Star Trek: Starfleet Academy,” the newest series in the nearly 60-year-old franchise, warped into San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday with an introduction of its full cast and the first trailer for the show, which will debut in early 2026.

The series takes place in the 32nd century after the events of “Star Trek: Discovery,” with Starfleet relaunching the titular educational institution outside of San Francisco after the Federation’s absence on Earth for more than 120 years.

“We look at the generation now that is inheriting all of this division and all these major issues,” executive producer Alex Kurtzman said on the Hall H stage. “We wanted to create a show that anchored us back to [Gene] Rodneyberry’s essential vision of hope. How do you find it, how do you rebuild it?”

Oscar-winner Holly Hunter plays Nahla Ake, the school’s chancellor and the captain of the USS Athena; she greets the...

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds just released its third episode of season 3, but one episode from a previous season is being regarded as the most Star Trek-y episode from the show. Season 2’s ‘Those Old Scientists’ was a crossover between the animated Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds, and was an incredibly well-written and performed episode.

As a fan, I loved the blend of humor and drama that the episode brought in, making it the perfect representation of the franchise. Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds are the best of the new era of the series, and many fans like me have hoped for another crossover in season 3 (via Reddit).

“Those Old Scientists” is perhaps the greatest episode of all time

byu/The_Techies_Guy instartrek

As Star Trek wraps up its shows one by one, episodes like these, which still manage to capture the energy of the originals,...

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,...

The recent Idw comics Star Trek: Red Shirts would have been the perfect premise for a spinoff show based on Michael Dorn’s Worf. The actor, who played Worf in Star Trek: Tng, Deep Space Nine, Picard, and more, reportedly had a script for a spinoff centered on Worf and the Klingons, looking at their evolution in a new era.

While it is an interesting idea, the focus on Klingons has been done to death, and Worf’s identity as a Starfleet officer could have been put at the forefront again. Red Shirts looks at the security team of Starfleet and the sacrifices and risks they take to make sure breaches don’t get past their initial line of defense. As a chief security officer himself, Worf’s spinoff could have looked in this direction.

Star Trek: Red Shirts Looks at One of the Most Disposable Characters in the Franchise...

Michael Dorn is best known for playing Worf in the Star Trek franchise, but his directorial work from Deep Space Nine is a masterpiece that deserves a lot more recognition. The season 6 episode, ‘Inquisition’ saw the introduction of the Federation’s spy agency, Section 31, and the grave nature of the Dominion War that was teased throughout the show.

Dorn masterfully directed the Dr. Bashir-focused episode, with most of it set inside an interrogation room in the Deep Space Nine station. While Alexander Siddig’s performance as Bashir is great, it is William Sadler’s Luther Sloan who steals the show with his incredible performance, keeping the audience on their toes till the end.

Deep Space Nine’s Incredible ‘Inquisition’ Was Michael Dorn’s Second Directorial Michael Dorn in Star Trek: Tng | Credits: Paramount

Michael Dorn began his tenure in Star Trek by playing Worf in The Next Generation.

At the start of the opening credits of each episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Anson Mount delivers a variation of the same famous speech that so many Trek captains have recited before him, about space being the final frontier, the voyages of the starship Enterprise, and how the mission is to boldly go where no one (or, in the Sixties, where no man) has gone before.

But as the third season of Strange New Worlds is set to debut Thursday on Paramount+, Star Trek as a television franchise...

Toonami's beloved but forgotten love letter to anime and mecha was nearly revived after 21 years. However, the merger between Discovery and Warner Bros., led by new CEO David Zaslav, stopped the animated revival from happening.

The YouTube channel Secret Galaxy uploaded a new video paying tribute to Megas Xlr, Cartoon Network's loving anime mecha parody from the early 2000s. The series, created by Jody Schaeffer and George Krstic, ran for two seasons on Toonami from May 1, 2004, to Jan. 15, 2005. The short-lived run of 26 episodes was due to low TV ratings, which led to the show being "written off as a tax loss," according to Krstic in a 2014 interview. However, according to one of its co-creators, Megas Xlr was on the verge of a revival until the new CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery stepped in.

A Megas Xlr Revival Almost Happened Until Wbd CEO David Zaslav Stepped In

In the comment section of the YouTube video,...

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...

Vendetta

The world of comics is in mourning over the loss of one of their most prolific voices. Peter David passed away Sunday, May 23, at the age of 68. In the comic book world, David was known for his excellent work, including his run on The Incredible Hulk, which many hold as the greatest creative run for the character.

David also wrote dozens of books like X-Factor, Supergirl, Young Justice, Spider-Man, Captain Marvel and more. He was also a prolific novelist, such as in his fantasy parody series Sir Apropos of Nothing.

For Star Trek fans, David is often held up as one of the all-time best writers in the franchise’s history. That runs from 30 issues of the DC Comics series to nearly fifty books (including taking part in novellas and story collections). That outdoes scores of other Trek writers, not just in quantity but quality.

Why David was a...

When "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" premiered in syndication on January 3, 1993, it generated a good deal of nervousness, if not outright skepticism, from the franchise's finicky fanbase. That Trekkies would make the new series earn their respect was expected to a degree. They'd done likewise when "Star Trek: The Next Generation" debuted in 1987 -- not because they were closed off to anything different from "The Original Series" but simply due to them having high standards for what a science-fiction show could accomplish. Gene Roddenberry's "Star Trek" franchise catered to thinkers and seekers, especially people who loved a good yarn but also wanted something to challenge their notions about what it means to be a citizen of this vast, mysterious universe.

While "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" took some getting used to (primarily due to it upending the "Star Trek" formula by taking place on a space station instead of...

Star Trek in the ‘80s and the ‘90s was the franchise’s peak, becoming a global phenomenon with The Next Generation and the rest of the shows also having plenty of fans. Three shows in the franchise reached season seven during this era, including Deep Space Nine, which had Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko.

Sisko was not the usual captain in the series. He was not as charming as Captain Kirk, nor was he as diplomatic as Picard. He was proactive but also dove head-first into conflicts, and his stern demeanor was largely due to Avery Brooks’ own personality. Actress Terry Farrell, who played Jadzia Dax, mentioned that she was intimidated by him.

Star Trek’s Terry Farrell said that she was intimidated by DS9’s Avery Brooks Avery Brooks in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Credits: Paramount

They say that the captain of the ship sets the tone of every Star Trek series.

Some hail it as one of the best episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Others dismiss it as a silly take on a complex sci-fi concept. When it was released 31 years ago, the Season 7 episode Emergence caught the attention of many Star Trek fans. The episode introduced the possibility of the Enterprise being a sentient being and even showed it giving birth to a progeny.

Emergence deals with the Starfleet ship gaining control over its intelligence and how the crew of the ship tackles the sentience of their ship. Upon rewatching the series, I was astounded at the sheer theories and interpretations that the episode leaves open for the audience, which makes it one of the most thought-provoking episodes in the series.

What happened in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode Emergence? David Huddleston as The Conductor and Michael Dorn as Worf in the episode Emergence from Star Trek: The Next Generation...

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,...

Star Trek: Tng was a global phenomenon upon release, with the cast enjoying a larger amount of fame than the iconic Tos cast, which was canceled after three seasons. Still, only a few main actors got to helm the Captain’s seat and drive the Enterprise, and surprisingly, Marina Sirtis’ Deanna Troi was one of them.

Troi had to take the helm in one scene in the film Star Trek: Generations, which starred both the Tng cast as well as part of the Tos cast. Marina Sirtis mentioned that they were doing an explosive scene with practical special effects, which resulted in burning embers falling on the captain’s seat, thus setting her bottom on fire.

Marina Sirtis’ bottom was on fire after a scene in the Star Trek: Tng cast’s movie Marina Sirtis in Star Trek: Tng | Credits: Paramount

Marina Sirtis played Denna Troi for seven seasons in...

Robert Kirkman’s popular comic Invincible was adapted to a series, and they have been at the top of their game since its premiere in 2021. The Amazon Prime Video show chronicles the coming-of-age of Mark Grayson, a part-Viltrumite superhero, who is trained by his father, Nolan Grayson, a.k.a. Omni-Man.

Among the various adversaries Grayson fights as Invincible, Battle Beast has been one of his most dangerous ones yet. The superhero barely survived his battle with the Beast in the show, and he has been a fan-favorite character from the comics. The character was voiced by Star Trek: Tng’s Michael Dorn, who Kirkman is reportedly a huge fan of.

Robert Kirkman got his dream casting with Star Trek’s Michael Dorn for a beloved Invincible character Steven Yeun in Invincible | Credits: Amazon Prime Video

Robert Kirkman’s comic adaptations seem to be a great bet. After having...

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...

Star Trekfans who have always wished they could cut their pizza like a warrior while celebrating the glory of the Klingon Empire can finally do so. Raven Forge, a small UK-based business, is now offering an officially licensed Star Trek Klingon Bat’leth pizza cutter for sale on its website. The company announced the new pizza cutter on its Instagram page, calling it a “must-have” for Trek Fans.

The pizza cutter is a replica of the Bat’leth, a double-sided Klingon weapon featuring a curved blade designed for close combat in battle. In Trek lore, the first Bat’leth was forged by Kahless, a key figure in Klingon history. Throughout Trek, Klingons like Worf (Michael Dorn), General Martok (J.G. Hertzler), Chancellor Gowron (Robert O’Reilly), and others, including Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell), can be seen wielding the deadly blade.

View this post on InstagramA post shared by Raven Forge (@ravenforgeltd) Fandom...

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"Invincible" is on its scheduled seasonal break right now. However, original writer/co-creator of the comic Robert Kirkman has jumped back into the "Invincible" universe with his artist partner Ryan Ottley. Kirkman and Ottley are authoring a new ongoing comic book series, "Invincible Universe: Battle Beast." Set between "Invincible" issues #19-55, the series follows the catlike alien warrior as he searches the universe for a worthy opponent.

Skybound let me speak with Kirkman and Ottley for "Invincible Universe: Battle Beast," which recently published its first issue. During our conversation, we naturally turned to "Invincible" season 4, which is set to arrive in 2026. I asked if there are any moments they're especially excited to see animated in upcoming seasons. "'Viltrumite War' and I mean, so many things I want to see," Ottley replied. "Yeah, I can't wait."

"Viltrumite War" is the extra-long...

Poor, poor Harry Kim (Garrett Wang). Several seasons into the run of "Star Trek: Voyager," fans began to notice that Ensign Harry Kim, despite being capable, obedient, creative, and intelligent, never received a promotion. In "Star Trek," Starfleet officers -- if they're good at their jobs -- typically rise up through the ranks at an expected clip, usually moving from ensign to lieutenant in a year or two. Harry Kim remained an ensign through all seven seasons of "Voyager," which seems like a grievous injustice. Late in the series, Kim had an exchange with Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) wherein they both embarrassingly acknowledged that Janeway required a certain amount of command consistency among her crew, forcing her to keep her lower-ranked officers in their positions indefinitely. It was not fair by design.

Kim's eternal-ensign status was joked about openly in the "Star Trek: Lower Decks" episode "Fissure Quest", a parallel...

Star Wars and Star Trek have played a pivotal role in the world of pop culture. The two franchises are key names in the sci-fi genre. This has also led to numerous instances of the two fandoms going against each other, regarding which is better. But William Shatner proved that the fight among the fans is futile, as Star Trek might not have even existed if it were not for Star Wars.

Many fans of the Gene Roddenberry-created franchise may disagree with the James T. Kirk actor’s view, as he is technically wrong, if we observe the timeline of both the IPs. However, as William Shatner told the full story about Star Wars‘ impact on Star Trek, I cannot agree more.

Star Wars‘ success was crucial to Star Trek‘s rise William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek | Credits: NBC

Before anybody comes at me...

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The voice cast of "Invincible" is an astonishing line-up of talent. Steven Yeun voices the lead, Mark Grayson aka Invincible, and J.K. Simmons plays his father, Nolan Grayson aka Omni-Man. The supporting cast includes Sandra Oh (as Mark's mom Debbie), Gillian Jacobs (Atom Eve), and Walton Goggins (Natsec spook Cecil Stedman). Guest stars have ranged from Aaron Paul (Powerplex) to Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Conquest) to Michael Dorn as the alien warrior Battle Beast.

Resembling a white-furred humanoid feline, Battle Beast lives for, well, battle. He dreams of finding an opponent worthy of his strength. Now, "Invincible" writer Robert Kirkman and artist Ryan Ottley are returning to the original comics to tell more of Battle Beast's story in a new ongoing series: "Invincible Universe: Battle Beast."

I recently spoke with Kirkman and Ottley about their work on "Battle Beast." When the...

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,...

Well, it is quite evident that people’s tastes are changing, with audience members watching almost everything that comes in theaters and hating most of it, and loving some movies that were really well-made.

However, this change isn’t a new thing since Michael Dorn, who starred in the Star Trek franchise for years, had thought of this taste change 23 years ago when he starred in Star Trek: Nemesis! That is why the actor didn’t appear in further Star Trek films after the 2002 movie.

Michael Dorn knew that the audience’s taste was changing

In 1987, the world was introduced to Sir Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes’ Star Trek: The Next Generation, which, as the title suggests, was a sequel to the original 1966 show Star Trek: The Original Series.

Michael Dorn portrayed the role of Worf in the Star Trek franchise | Credits: Paramount Television

In the 1987 show, Michael Dorn was...

Michael Dorn’s run in showbiz has been defined by his portrayal of Worf in Star Trek, and he is among the few set of actors who appeared in all seven seasons of the revered The Next Generation. While it’s easy to see why most fans would recognize Dorn from his glory days in the influential sci-fi IP, the Deep Space Nine star’s career extends far beyond his Star Trek credentials.

Although the actor is mostly notable for his voice work in several animated outings, including DC’s Gargoyles, interestingly, most people often miss out on his character in ABC’s Castle.

Michael Dorn had a brief gig in ABC’s Castle Star Trek | Credit: Paramount

The 2000s were a roaring time for procedural crime dramas, as shows like NCIS and Law & Order became hot commodities on cable TV. Another procedural drama that doesn’t get enough credit is ABC’s Castle,...

Michael Dorn was just looking for projects when he stumbled upon a show in development back in the 1980s titled Star Trek: The Next Generation. Dorn gave the audition for a character named Worf, and the rest is history.

The actor found worldwide fame and critical acclaim for his iconic portrayal in the franchise, but more than that, Dorn is a person who stayed true to his heart through it all. His favorite and his least favorite episodes from the Star Trek franchise speak more about his character than words could.

Michael Dorn talked about his least favorite episode

It was the fourth episode of season one of Star Trek: The Next Generation, which Michael Dorn hated down to his core. The episode, titled Code of Honor, was just at the initial phase of this show, and thus, it could be counted as a rookie mistake.

Michael Dorn in a...

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...

Marina Sirtis played Deanna Troi for seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, four films, and Star Trek: Picard. The counsellor of the USS Enterprise-d, Sirtis’ Troi, was a divisive character, with many fans not very impressed with the characterization and her performance. However, her on-screen romance with William Riker was the highlight.

Deanna Troi and William Riker were the Ross and Rachel of Tng, but funnily enough, there was also a ‘Rachel and Joey’ in the show, which was Troi and Michael Dorn’s Worf. Throughout the seventh season of Tng, the two shared a romantic relationship, but it was unpopular. Even Sirtis disapproved of the relationship and hated Worf’s behaviour during that time.

Marina Sirtis was annoyed at Star Trek: Tng’s exploration of Deanna Troi and Worf’s romance Michael Dorn and Marina Sirtis in Star Trek: The Next Generation | Credits: Paramount

While some TV...

"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" only had eight central cast members listed as its regulars in the opening credits, but by the end of its seventh and final season, it had no fewer than 30 members in its ensemble. Like on "The Simpsons," all of the supporting players on "Deep Space Nine" expanded as the series went on, with many of them getting story arcs of their own. Actors like Andrew J. Robinson, Penny Johnson Jerald, Marc Alaimo, Max Grodénchik, Aron Eisenberg, Louise Fletcher, and Jeffrey Combs may have only technically played recurring characters, but they were just as important to the sweeping narrative of "Deep Space Nine" as the main cast. 

Case in point: Chase Masterson played a character named Leeta, a Bajoran woman who worked in Quark's Bar. Leeta was a dabo girl, hired to spin a Ferengi roulette wheel and look pretty. She was first introduced in...

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"Invincible" the comic may have ended years ago, but its time in the sun hasn't passed yet. Prime Video's "Invincible" animated series opened up the story to a wider audience than ever before. "Invincible" season 3 came to an exhilarating conclusion earlier this year, and season 4 is due to premiere sometime in 2026.

But in the meantime, series' co-creator/writer Robert Kirkman and artist Ryan Ottley are going back to the "Invincible" universe. The pair has a new ongoing comic series on the horizon, titled "Invincible Universe: Battle Beast," starring the eponymous feline alien warrior.

Battle Beast has already appeared in the "Invincible" cartoon, voiced by Michael Dorn (most famous as Worf from "Star Trek"). Skybound Entertainment has shared a preview of "Invincible Universe: Battle Beast" #1 with /Film. I also got to speak with Kirkman and Ottley about this new series.

My...

Way back in 1986, when Gene Roddenberry was still developing ideas for "Star Trek: The Next Generation," he gave himself and his collaborators a series of restrictive mandates. Most notorious of these was his infamous "no conflict" rule, demanding that none of the new show's stories revolve around interpersonal conflict between the main cast members. In Roddenberry's eyes, the future would be an idealized place where co-workers never bickered, and all problems were solved, without issue, as a group. This, as one can imagine, frustrated Roddenberry's writing team, who felt that the only way to generate drama was through interpersonal conflict. 

Another mandate was Roddenberry's insistence that familiar "Star Trek" aliens be eschewed. "Next Generation" was to be a distinct entity, set nearly a century after the events of the original series, and Roddenberry wanted it to stand on its own. If it contained a Vulcan, Roddenberry knew that audiences would...

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,...

The Star Trek franchise has no shortage of talent when it comes to its actors. Some of the best were featured on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which aired from 1993 to 1999. DS9 featured a cast that included Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Colm Meaney, Alexander Siddig, Nana Visitor, Terry Farrell, and Michael Dorn. Even its guest actors included an Academy Award winner in the late Louise Fletcher’s Kai Winn and talent like Andrew Robinson and Marc Alaimo.

Armin Shimerman, who played the Ferengi bartender Quark in all seven seasons of DS9, is an expert in Shakespeare, a writer, and a director. Shimerman, per ScreenRant, appearing on Virtual Trek Con’sThe Main Viewer to support Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer, said that there’s one DS9 alum who doesn’t get the credit he deserves for the talent he brought to the series.

The “Very Best”

Shimerman was referring to actor Cirroc Lofton,...

Michael Dorn, the man behind Star Trek: Tng’s tough-as-nails Worf, revealed his favorite episode, and nah, it’s not a battle in space or a time-bending showdown. Turns out, he’s a sucker for high-stakes interrogations and moral chaos over phaser fire.

Who needs warp speed when you’ve got sharp dialogue, courtroom tension, and Starfleet politics? Looks like even Klingons can’t resist a little legal drama done right.

Michael Dorn in Star Trek | Credits: Paramount Pictures Michael Dorn’s favorite Tng episode: Suits in space with a twist — it’s The Drumhead

Worf may love battle, but Michael Dorn is all about that legal drama. When asked to name his favorite Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, Dorn skipped the explosions and went straight to the bench — The Drumhead, a tense, courtroom-style thriller from season 4. He alluded (via DigitalFix):

I love courtroom dramas and ‘The Drumhead’ was a courtroom drama.

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 great New Zealand-born actor Clive Revill has passed away at the age of 94. He died in Sherman Oaks, California, having succumbed to dementia on March 11. The sad news was confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter by his daughter, Kate Selsby Revill-Oglesby. Revill's storied career encompassed performances on the stage, silver screen, and television, and spanned from Shakespeare to horror and Star Trek to Star Wars, and included many voice-acting credits.

Revill, who would have turned 95 on April 18, entered the Star Trek universe in 1991, when he guest starred as Sir Guy of Gisbourne in the fourth-season Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Qpid.” The character seeks to marry Maid Marian/Vash (Jennifer Hetrick) and ultimately clashes with Robin Hood/Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his Merry Men, a/k/a Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden), Worf (Michael Dorn), Data (Brent Spiner), Riker (Jonathan Frakes), and Troi (Marina Sirtis).

Among Revill’s other credits,...

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"Star Trek" is always functioning at the height of its powers when it uses its sci-fi setting to explore intriguing ethical dilemmas or philosophical conceits. For these reasons, the episode "The Offspring" is one of the stronger stories to come from "Star Trek: The Next Generation." In the episode, the android Data (Brent Spiner), using his own design as a template, decides to build himself an android child. He allows the child to select its own gender and appearance, and it chooses to be a young woman named Lal (Hallie Todd). Much of the episode involves Data or Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) teaching Lal about the world, human interactions, and the ineffability of emotions. 

Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) initially raises objections to Data's creation of a robot "child," pointing out that the moral ramifications of an artificial being creating another haven't been considered.

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,...

This article contains Spoilers for SeveranceSeason 2, Episode 10, "Cold Harbor."

Viewers watching the Season 2 finale of Apple TV+’s Severancecertainly had a lot to unpack. Not least was an opening sequence during which Adam Scott’s Innie Mark and Outie Mark talked via video recordings - which was the first time anything like that happened in the series. In an interview with Esquire, Severance creator Dan Erickson said the scene in which the two Marks communicate was something he “had always wanted to write.”

However, that particular scene almost made for a different title to the 10th episode of the season, which was eventually called “Cold Harbor,” after a data file that Innie Mark had been refining since Season 1. Erickson said he very nearly called the episode “First Contact,” an homage to Star Trek: First Contact,a film in which Scott, then in his early 20s, had a small role.

A...

One of the amazing things about "Star Trek" is that it can work in so many different ways. "Star Trek: Lower Decks" proved that "Star Trek" is truly malleable and can exist as both a ridiculous animated comedy and a truly excellent sci-fi series at the same time -- and apparently we almost got another "Star Trek" comedy that would have tested the boundaries of what "Star Trek" can be. In an interview with The New York Times in 2021, executive producer, screenwriter, and director Alex Kurtzman revealed that when the folks at Paramount first started looking into the future of "Star Trek" and streaming, there was almost a live-action spin-off that would have been a big swing for the franchise. 

Though "Lower Decks" went on for five glorious seasons and there's apparently a "Star Trek" live-action comedy series in the works from "Lower Decks" alum Tawny Newsome, who played Beckett Mariner,...

It is not every day that a new actor can impress the character’s original performer, but Aaron Stanford’s performance as Sneed in Star Trek: Picard reportedly made actor Armin Shimerman look at him in awe. Shimerman technically did not play Sneed but played a different Ferengi named Quark in Tng and most importantly, in Deep Space Nine.

Shimerman did not return with the rest of the Tng cast in Picard but expressed his admiration (and envy) for Stanford’s performance as the Ferengi Sneed. The performance reportedly impressed the legendary actor so much that he reevaluated his own performance in Deep Space Nine.

Armin Shimerman was extremely impressed with Aaron Stanford’s performance in Star Trek: Picard Armin Shimerman in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Credits: Paramount

The Ferengis were a creation from Gene Roddenberry, initially intended to be a joke on capital-obsessed businessmen. The species were the...

When it debuted in 1987, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was far from a sure thing. The show would be the first to continue the adventures of Starfleet as they were first depicted in the 1960s "Star Trek" original series, and since 18 years had passed since the finale and people were pretty protective of the original series, the odds were stacked against them. Not only that, but franchise creator Gene Roddenberry had only even agreed to the series in a fit of rage, and that meant the first season of "The Next Generation" could be incredibly rough as the series found its footing. So rough, in fact, that some of the cast weren't convinced the series was going to make it. 

One early episode is pretty well accepted as one of the worst "Next Generation," and it was so bad that Michael Dorn, who played Klingon Lieutenant Worf, was worried the...

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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...

There’s no doubt that people will look back at season 3 of Invincible with nothing but admiration. The beginning of the dark times of Mark Grayson was told in a way that stayed true to the source material while also making sure the story worked for TV. It’s all you could want from a comic book adaptation. However, none of the show's greatness could have happened without the heroes and villains involved.

All of the characters were incredible from start to finish and this article will rank the top ten. It was difficult dropping it down to just ten, but hopefully, the justification will make sense. Let's start with an honorable mention.

Honorable mention: Mohawk Mark

Voiced by: Steven Yeun

Mohawk Mark Grayson was the best of the Invincible variants. He was witty, strong, and completely unhinged. He wasn’t the strongest of the group, but, somehow, he seemed to do the most damage.

Michael Dorn played Worf in Star Trek: The Next Generation for seven seasons. Initially not set to be part of the main cast, Worf quickly became a series regular and a fan favorite. His lack of understanding of jokes as well as his strength against various alien species. In a show that had great supporting characters, Dorn stood out.

Show creator Gene Roddenberry was reportedly not too keen on adding a known alien species to the show but eventually relented with Worf. However, the showrunner reportedly gave a lot of freedom for the actor to create quirks, which defined one of the most important characteristics of Worf.

Michael Dorn was instrumental in crafting Worf’s important characteristics in Star Trek: Tng Michael Dorn in Star Trek: Picard | Credits: Paramount+

While Leonard Nimoy’s Spock became the resident alien of the Enterprise crew in Star Trek: Tos, that spot was taken by Worf in Tng.

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...

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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,...

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"Star Trek: The Next Generation" was, by all measures, far more successful than the original "Star Trek" that preceded it. The original series wasn't a big hit when it first aired in 1966, and didn't become popular until Trekkies discovered it in reruns in the mid-1970s. By the mid-1980s, the series not only had a passionate following, but several hit "Star Trek" feature films had been made, ensuring that the franchise was long-lasting and widely celebrated. Creator Gene Roddenberry, wanting a project he could more closely oversee, launched the first spinoff "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in 1987, fast-forwarding the timeline of the franchise by about a century. The new show featured a new cast of characters, a new ship, and a new tone. This was, by Roddenberry's orders, to be even more diplomatic and peaceful than even the original show.

Actor Michael Dorn donned the Klingon mask as Worf in seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation before being done with it and hanging it up. However, he was soon called back to the makeup room for the spinoff series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which saw a completely new crew headed by Avery Brooks’ Captain Benjamin Sisko.

Dorn was among the few who had been on both sets and was in a position to compare and contrast. The actor spilled the tea on many of the differences in the sets of Tng and Deep Space Nine and how he reacted to it. According to him, the tone of the set seemed to be based around how the Captain of the show was.

Michael Dorn called the set of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine more serious than The Next Generation A still from Star Trek: The Next Generation | Credits: Paramount+

For years,...