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When "Star Trek: Voyager" was in development in 1994, the franchise was running hot. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was making its way to the big screen in the form of "Star Trek: Generations," and its spinoff, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," was finding its stride at the beginning of its third season. "Deep Space Nine," however, was set on board a space station, and the franchise's head honchos felt that an additional "Trek" show should be created to incorporate more traditional star trekking. "Voyager" was set on board a Starfleet vessel, the U.S.S. Voyager, as it became stranded 75 years away from Earth.

Show creators Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and the recently late Jeri Taylor, while developing their series, decided they wanted the captain of the U.S.S. Voyager to be a woman, as all the previous lead "Star Trek" captains had been men. Captain Kathryn Janeway was created,...

At the end of the third season of "Star Trek: Voyager," ratings were flagging and Paramount was concerned. The show was competent enough, but it simply wasn't drawing the numbers that "Star Trek: The Next Generation" did before it. To shake up the series, the writers ejected the gentle character of Kes (Jennifer Lien) and replaced her with Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), a Borg babe in a skintight catsuit. The show's writers loved Seven of Nine, and the series was restructured to be almost entirely about her. It also didn't hurt that Ryan looked like a magazine cover model and was cinched up in a bust-enhancing corset. Ratings, needless to say, went up.

It's reported in the oral history book "The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams," edited by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, that the cast of "Voyager" initially resented Ryan,...

Women were underrepresented in directing Star Trek: Tng until season 3, but Gabrielle Beaumont broke barriers with 8 episodes. Episodes like "Suddenly Human" and "Face of the Enemy" showcased strong storytelling led by female directors on Tng. Gates McFadden shone in directing Tng season 7's "Genesis," proving women's impact behind the camera on Star Trek.

In seven seasons and 178 episodes, only 8 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation were directed by women. From Nichelle Nichols' Lt. Uhura to Kate Mulgrew's Captain Kathryn Janeway, women have always been an integral part of the Star Trek franchise on screen. However, this did not always translate to more opportunities for women behind the scenes. Actress Majel Barrett and writer D.C. Fontana both contributed to the success of Star Trek: The Original Series and several episodes were written by women. But no Star Trek episode was directed by a woman until Tng's third season.

Beginning...

Trekkies will be able to tell you that Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), the nerdy engineer on the Enterprise-d in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," rarely had luck in his relationships. In the episode "Booby Trap", Geordi notoriously fell in love with a holographic reproduction of Dr. Leah Brahms (Susan Gibney), the designer of the Enterprise's engines. In the episode "Galaxy's Child", however, Geordi got to meet the real Leah Brahms, and she was not happy when she learned about the holographic duplicate Geordi had been flirting with. What's more, she was already married, certainly halting any romantic aspirations Geordi carried.

It seems, however, that their lives would eventually intersect romantically. In the show's final episode, "All Good Things...", audiences saw a flash-forward to an alternate future wherein Geordi was married to Leah. They also had three children named Alandra, Bret, and Sidney. Geordi had retired from engineering and became a novelist.

Geordi La Forge's romance mishap in "Booby Trap" is cringe-worthy but Geordi is redeemed in "The Enemy". "The Enemy" showcases Geordi's resilience and leadership while Picard and Worf make tough decisions. Star Trek: Tng delves into complex interpersonal dynamics with self-contained episodes and overarching plots.

Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) has one particularly embarrassing storyline on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but this great episode redeems him. As the Chief Engineer on the USS Enterprise-d, Geordi knows his way around a warp core, but he sometimes has trouble with interpersonal relationships. It's a bit telling that Geordi's best friend is the android Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), who isn't exactly known for his social skills. Although La Forge plays a major role in many Tng episodes, only a handful of episodes give him center stage and reveal more about Geordi as a person.

Geordi La Forge's cringe-worthy "romance...

Captain Picard shines in "Booby Trap," showing his piloting skills and passion for archeology. Episodes like this highlight Picard's multifaceted character beyond his role as a Starship Captain. Picard's love of archeology is a recurring theme in Tng and even continues in "Star Trek: Picard."

One Star Trek: The Next Generation episode may have been embarrassing for Lt. Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), but it was a great showcase for Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). Following the adventures of the USS Enterprise-d and its crew, Tng had its fair share of ups and downs, but ultimately delivered more great episodes than bad ones. Still, some episodes were a mixed bag, with two separate storylines that didn't quite gel. For example, Geordi's awkward attempts at romance brought down one episode that otherwise told a solid and intense story.

Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 6, "Booby Trap," is most remembered...

Lt. Geordi La Forge struggled with romance on Star Trek: Tng, particularly with Dr. Leah Brahms. In Tng season 3, Geordi enlists holographic Dr. Brahms to free the Enterprise from a booby trap. Geordi's infatuation with holographic Brahms led to a problematic encounter with the real Leah.

On Star Trek: The Next Generation, Lt. Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) had bad luck with romance, and his relationship with Dr. Leah Brahms (Susan Gibney) was particularly problematic. As the Chief Engineer of the USS Enterprise-d, La Forge's first love was the ship and he often struggled to make meaningful connections with actual women. Although Tng focused on the adventures of the Enterprise and her crew, the show regularly checked on the characters' interpersonal lives. Every crew member, from Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) on down, had at least a few romances throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation's seven seasons.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation...

Star Trek: The Next Generation and Lost share a connection through actors appearing in both iconic shows. Both series feature characters navigating strange occurrences and mysterious phenomena in their respective universes. From renowned guest stars to memorable roles, these actors brought their talent to both Tng and Lost.

Star Trek: The Next Generation and Lost may not seem to have much in common beyond being science fiction television shows, but several actors appeared in both shows. Following the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the USS Enterprise-d, Tng picked up about a century after the events of Star Trek: The Original Series. Although Tng got off to a bit of a rocky start in its first two seasons, it would go on to produce some of the best science fiction television of all time. Over the course of seven seasons, the Enterprise-d explored the galaxy, encountering numerous strange aliens and unexplainable anomalies.

Rick Berman's preferred choice for the role of Seven of Nine on Star Trek: Voyager was actress Susan Gibney, but he was overruled and Jeri Ryan was chosen instead. Jeri Ryan proved her incredible range as an actress and added new depths to the character of Seven of Nine across three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. While Jeri Ryan's good looks were seen by many as the reason for her casting, she surpassed expectations and became a beloved and impactful character in the Star Trek franchise.

Star Trek: Voyager producer Rick Berman stated that Jeri Ryan wasn't his first choice to play Seven of Nine, because he favored another Star Trek actress for the role. Seven of Nine was introduced in Voyager season 4 and became a firm favorite that continues to make a positive impact on the Star Trek franchise in the 2020s. As an actor and former Miss Illinois,...

Ensign Sonya Gomez (Lycia Naff) is probably best known to Trekkies as the character who spilled a cup of hot chocolate on Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) in the second season "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Q Who." In the episode's cold open, Ensign Gomez ordered a cup of her preferred beverage from a food replicator, and was careful to say "please." Lieutenant La Forge (LeVar Burton) pointed out that one needn't say "please" and "thank you" to computers. Gomez then, possessed of nervous chatter, began to tell Laforge about how excited she was to be on the Enterprise. As she exited to put her drink down, she bumped into the captain coming the other way, spilling chocolate all over them both.

Ensign Gomez only appeared on "Next Generation" one other time, in "Samaritan Snare," but was given less to do. Regardless, she stood out. Most Trekkies remember Gomez well...

In the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Booby Trap", the Enterprise-D discovered -- floating in a vast asteroid field -- an ancient Promellian battle cruiser, a ship that had been built 1,000 years earlier. Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) mentions that the cruiser was engaging in space battles when Earth was barely perfecting the crossbow and that he -- an archaeology buff -- used to build models of similar ships as a boy. The Promellians, he explains, were once engaged in a costly and prolonged war with a species called the Menthars. The Promellian/Menthar war entirely wiped out both species a millennium ago, and derelict ships from the conflict are quite rare indeed. 

"Star Trek" typically espouses a pointed pacifist philosophy, but one might find that the franchise also contains numerous characters who are fascinated by the history of combat and antique weapons of war. It's telling, however, that...

Most of Star Trek: The Next Generation holds up today, but some of the earlier episodes contain elements that can only be described as cringe-worthy. Following the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the crew of the USS Enterprise-d, Tng had a lot to live up to when it premiered in 1987. It took fans a couple of years before they truly fell in love with this entirely new cast of characters. Considering how rocky the first season of Tng was, it's a bit surprising that the show managed to make it past those first couple of years.

Star Trek has always been a franchise with very high highs and very low lows in terms of quality. When Star Trek is good, it's award-winning good, but when it's bad, well, let's just say "Angel One" and "Code of Honor" won't be winning any awards. Though Star Trek: The Next Generation...

LeVar Burton has revealed how the #MeToo movement influenced his portrayal of Commodore Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: Picard, fixing an infamous Star Trek: The Next Generation mistake. Picard season 3 gave LeVar Burton some of his best-ever material, and revealed that Geordi was the father to two daughters, Lt. Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) and Ensign Alandra La Forge (Mica Burton). The names of Geordi's daughters honored a moment from the Star Trek: The Next Generation finale, which also revealed he had a wife called Leah. It was assumed that Geordi's wife was Dr. Leah Brahms (Susan Gibney), the Federation scientist with whom he had a problematic relationship in Tng.

Speaking to IndieWire in an Awards Spotlight interview about Star Trek: Picard season 3, LeVar Burton and Patrick Stewart talked about working on the Star Trek: The Next Generation reunion. Burton discussed the infamous Tng's infamous Leah Brahms storyline,...

Star Trek icon Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) has become a legendary member of the franchise and has featured in some all-time great episodes of both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard. Burton was already a household name by the time he joined the final frontier, having made a named for himself with the groundbreaking miniseries Roots and the educational children's program Reading Rainbow. Geordi made his debut in the Tng pilot "Encounter At Farpoint," an eager young Ensign understandably excited for his adventures on the USS Enterprise-d to get underway.

Geordi was promoted to the ship's Chief Engineer at the start of Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2, a role he'd stay in for the remainder of Tng's seven-season run, as well as the four followup films starring the show's cast. Two decades after the final Tng film, Star Trek: Nemesis, Geordi made his triumphant return...

Warning: Spoilers for Star Trek: Picard Finale - "The Last Generation"Commodore Geordi La Forge's (LeVar Burton) wife was not in Star Trek: Picard season 3, but showrunner Terry Matalas says she could appear in his proposed spinoff, Star Trek: Legacy. The La Forge family was invaluable to Picard season 3 as both of Geordi's daughters, Sidney (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) and Alandra (Mica Burton), played key roles in the events of the season. Meanwhile, Geordi saved the day by unveiling the restored USS Enterprise-d, which was pivotal in the defeat of the Borg. However, the identity of Geordi's wife and Sidney and Alandra's mother remains a mystery.

Terry Matalas was asked during a Reddit Ama about why Geordi's wife didn't appear in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Read Matalas' response and his quote below:

Terry Matalas: We didn’t identify so that we could tell that story in a future Legacy tale.

Doctor Richard Daystrom (William Marshall) and the Daystrom Institute are key parts of Star Trek lore, and here are the best episodes centered around the man and the institution that bears his name. Dr. Daystrom only appeared in a single episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, but the character's legacy continues to influence the Trek franchise to this day. Daystrom is emblematic of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets' scientific advancement, which can be both a good thing and something that poses serious risks to the future of the Star Trek universe.

Star Trek's Dr. Richard Daystrom invented the duotronic computers that were used aboard Starfleet ships including the USS Enterprise commanded by Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner). Daystrom was a scientific genius held in the same levels of esteem as the likes of Albert Einstein and the Vulcan theoretical scientist Sitar. His impact on the...

23rd century scientist Doctor Richard Daystrom (William Marshall) is a hugely important figure in Star Trek history, who still influences the United Federation of Planets in the 25th century. An esteemed expert in computer science, Doctor Daystrom's intelligence and influence were compared to that of Albert Einstein. So esteemed was Daystrom that his name adorns one of the Federation's most prominent research facilities, the Daystrom Institute, and one of its most secretive storage facilities, Daystrom Station.

It was Richard Daystrom who invented the duotronic technology that was used aboard the USS Enterprise and other Constitution-class starships. Daystrom made this game-changing discovery at the age of 24, and spent the intervening years developing multitronics with the intention of creating artificial intelligence. It was Daystrom's work in multitronics that brought him aboard Captain James T. Kirk's (William Shatner) Enterprise in Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 24, "The Ultimate Computer".

Related: 11 Amazing...

Warning: Spoilers for Star Trek: Picard Season 3Star Trek: Picard season 3 breakout star Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut hints at when the identity of Geordi La Forge's (LeVar Burton) mystery wife will finally be revealed. Chestnut plays Geordi's daughter, Ensign Sidney La Forge, alongside Mica Burton, LeVar Burton's real-life daughter, who plays Sidney's sister Ensign Alandra La Forge. All three La Forges had a family reunion in Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 6, "The Bounty," but conspicuous by her absence was Sidney and Alandra's mother, whose identity remains unknown.

In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut was asked about who Sidney's mother is. While Ashlei didn't reveal what she knew about the La Forge matriarch, she did tease that the identity of Geordi's wife could be revealed in the future. Check out the quote below:

Screen Rant: So we had the big La Forge family reunion, but...

Warning: The Following Article Contains Spoilers for Star Trek: Picard Season 3, Episode 6 - "The Bounty"Star Trek: Picard season 3 has revealed Commodore Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) has two adult daughters in Starfleet, but one member of his new family remains elusive. The former Chief Engineer of the USS Enterprise-d on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Geordi has risen through the ranks in the intervening years, a successful and highly respected officer who now oversees the Fleet Museum. While some of his fellow Tng shipmates have endured rough times after the event of the final Tng film, Star Trek Nemesis, Geordi appears to be thriving.

Beyond his professional good fortune, Geordi also started a family. His daughter, Ensign Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut), serves as the helmsman on the bridge of the USS Titan-a, while his other daughter, Ensign Alandra La Forge (Mica Burton), serves alongside her father at the Fleet Museum.

The third season of "Star Trek: Picard," debuting on Paramount+ on February 16, has boasted a reunion of most of the main cast of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Previous seasons have featured returns from Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, and Marina Sirtis, but this new season will add Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn, and LeVar Burton as well. This will not just be a fun nostalgia trip for Trekkies who ache to see some old "Star Trek" favorites in the same room again (the first time since "Star Trek: Nemesis" in 2002) — it will also slake some curiosity as to what these characters have been doing for the past several decades.

"Star Trek: Picard" shows what the title character (Patrick Stewart) has been doing now that he's rounding 100 years of age, but what has Worf (Dorn) been up to? Or Dr. Crusher (McFadden)? Or Geordi La Forge (Burton)? There's swaths of mythology to explore.

Star Trek: Picard season 3 introduces the daughters of Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), and each daughter represents the two roles he had aboard the Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Showrunner Terry Matalas has said that Picard season 3 is all about giving the Tng crew a fitting send-off which hands over to Star Trek's next generation. Geordi's daughters Ensign Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) and Ensign Alandra La Forge (Mica Burton) will be key to that handover.

Geordi's daughters were introduced in Tng's finale, where a retired Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) asked about his former engineer's children. Although that interaction took place in an aborted alternate future, Picard season 3 has now confirmed the names of Sidney and Alandra in the prime Star Trek universe. It remains to be seen if their mother is, as hinted in Tng, the scientist Dr. Leah Brahms (Susan Gibney.

The first full trailer for the third season of "Star Trek: Picard" was released today, the 56th anniversary of the U.S. premiere of the original "Star Trek." The third season of "Picard" has already been announced as the show's last, and it will see the return of more familiar faces from "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Patrick Stewart will return as the title character, and Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, and Brent Spiner have also already appeared on "Picard." Joining them will be LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, and Michael Dorn. Apart from Wil Wheaton (who did reprise his role as Wesley Crusher in "Picard" last season) and Denise Crosby, all of the central cast members from "Tng" will return. 

The last time audiences saw this cast in the same place, it was at the end of "Star Trek: Nemesis," where Picard and the crew were sadly toasting the passing of...

This post contains minor spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks."

In the world of "Star Trek," space isn't just a place of infinite exploration: it's also a reflection of self. Since the series' inception, "Star Trek" series have often employed plot devices that hold up a mirror to our heroes, allowing characters to see their own fears and desires more clearly through the lens of advanced technology or otherworldly phenomena. Many times, these turn out to be the basis for some of the franchise's most meaningful episodes. Other times, they turn out like the awkward case of Dr. Leah Brahms.

This week's episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks" introduced a clever riff on this trope when the U.S.S. Cerritos team visit Jengus IV, a planet that initially seems deserted but is actually inhabited by a literal data mine. The system on Genghis collects information...

In the third episode of the third season of "Star Trek: Lower Decks," called "Mining the Mind's Mines," the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos has been tasked with rescuing a team of geologists from a planet populated by silicon-based life forms called the Scrubble. Commander Ransom (Jerry O'Connell) bemoans the fact that Federation scientists often play fast-and-loose with safety, and it's always Starfleet who has to come clean up their research missions when they go afoul. 

On the Scrubble planet, mysterious glowing crystal orbs read a victim's thoughts, briefly manifest their deepest desires in the real world, and then turn their victims into statues. Throughout the episode, characters will have to come up with quick, embarrassed excuses when some of their deepest desires appear in front of their peers. Ensign Mariner (Tawney Newsome), for instance, can't help but reveal that she's developed feelings for her Andorian co-worker Jennifer.

1975: Ryan's Hope's Jack visited Sister Mary Joel.

1984: Santa Barbara's Jade ran into David Hasselhoff.

1986: Another World's Reginald had a fire started to stop a story.

2003: The Young and the Restless' John punched Victor."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1941: On radio soap opera Life Can Be Beautiful, "Chichi" Conrad (Alice Reinheart) coped with heartbreaking news.

1967: CBS aired the first color broadcast of The Secret Storm.

1972: The Edge of Night began airing at 2:30 p.m. Et, moving from its usual 3:30 p.

1975: Ryan's Hope's Jack visited Sister Mary Joel.

1984: Santa Barbara's Jade ran into David Hasselhoff.

1986: Another World's Reginald had a fire started to stop a story.

2003: The Young and the Restless' John punched Victor."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1941: On radio soap opera Life Can Be Beautiful, "Chichi" Conrad (Alice Reinheart) coped with heartbreaking news.

1967: CBS aired the first color broadcast of The Secret Storm.

1972: The Edge of Night began airing at 2:30 p.m. Et, moving from its usual 3:30 p.m. timeslot where it had been performing well in the ratings.

We’re back with another video round-up, this time focusing on a new look at the Masrani Security Initiative led by Vincent D’Onofrio’s character in Jurassic World, the teaser trailer for the guitar-shredding horror film Deathgasm (which looks like a high-energy, macabre mix of Todd & The Book of Pure Evil and 2008’s Dance of the Dead), and the first footage from the Barbara Crampton-starring We Are Still Here.

Jurassic World: Directed by Colin Trevorrow off a screenplay he wrote with Derek Connolly, Jurassic World stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Irrfan Khan, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jake Johnson, Omar Sy, Bd Wong, and Judy Greer, Jurassic World will be released in 3D on June 12th, 2015.

Video via Masrani Global viral site:

Deathgasm: “New kid in town Brodie and bad-boy Zakk quickly bond over their mutual admiration of heavy metal. But when these...

Review James Hunt 4 Apr 2014 - 07:22

Geordi has women trouble and the Enterprise is in danger in the latest of James' Star Trek: Tng look-backs...

This review contains spoilers.

3.6 Booby Trap

The episode opens with Geordi on a Holo-date with Christy (You remember Christy! Enterprise crew member, didn't exist before this episode.) but it's cut short when she spurns his advances, explaining that she doesn't feel "that way" towards him. Which kind of begs the question of why she agreed to go on a romantic holodeck walk at all, really, but maybe she really wanted to see his pain in person.

Meanwhile, the Enterprise has encountered an old debris field from a centuries old-war, and discovered a distress signal coming from a derelict ship. Picard can barely contain his excitement and goes full Comic Book Guy over his love of historical starships until the rest of the crew vote to...

Michael J. Fox has stayed close to home in casting the female lead in Hench at Home, his ABC comedy pilot inspired by his family life, as real-life wife Tracy Pollan has been tapped for the role. Meanwhile, Tony Award winner Audra McDonald has been cast to replace Theresa Randle as one of the two leads on CBS' drama pilot Violent Crime. Production on the pilot, which was halted earlier in the week, will resume this weekend, with new director Thomas Carter replacing Stephen Gyllenhaal. In other pilot casting news, Susan Gibney (NBC's Crossing Jordan) and Hamish Linklater (HBO's Live From Baghdad) have joined the NBC/NBC Studios comedy pilot Happy Family.