Star Trek’s Hidden Reunion: The TNG Cast Came Together 14 Years Before Picard!

by

Star Trek: Picard’s third season is often recognized as a reunion of the Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) crew, but another series actually reunited Patrick Stewart and the team 14 years earlier. Over its seven-season span, the main cast of Star Trek: TNG remained mostly consistent, though there were minor alterations to the roster. However, it was the final season of Picard that truly gathered the most recognized TNG cast members for a 10-episode follow-up to their cherished science fiction series. This was an exhilarating moment for Trekkies everywhere, but it’s important to note that another production had previously preempted Star Trek in this regard.

Although the cast of “Star Trek: Picard” season 3 was highly familiar, the revamped visual style gave it a distinct vibe compared to “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. However, both series are set within the main “Star Trek” timeline, contributing to a relatively small segment of the broader franchise. The airing of “Picard season 3” in 2023 was a significant event that had been eagerly anticipated for some time, but perhaps lost some of its luster due to the cast having previously worked together since their departure from their original “Star Trek” roles.

Family Guy’s “Not All Dogs Go To Heaven” Reunited Star Trek: The Next Generation Cast In 2009

Picard season 3 wouldn’t happen until 2023

2002 marked the final time the cast of “The Next Generation” appeared together as an ensemble until 2023, when they reunited for “Picard”. Interestingly, before that, in 2008, they all made a joint appearance on “Family Guy”, specifically in season 7’s episode 11 titled “Not All Dogs Go to Heaven”. In this episode, Seth MacFarlane’s show wove a storyline for Stewie Griffin that involved Patrick Stewart, Jonathon Frakes, Michael Dorn, and other original cast members of “The Next Generation”. Playing fictionalized versions of themselves, these stars from “TNG” spent a day with Stewie after being kidnapped by the mischievous baby genius, and his matter transporter.

As a die-hard Trekkie, I found myself chuckling at Stewie’s predicament when he realized that every star of the legendary Starship Enterprise was more challenging than expected, resulting in some side-splitting scenes. In essence, “Not All Dogs Go to Heaven” managed to bring together The Next Generation crew more comprehensively than Picard’s third season did. To add to the nostalgia, this Family Guy episode even gave us a brief cameo by Denise Crosby, who originally played Tasha Yar in The Next Generation before her character’s untimely demise. Interestingly, Crosby’s Tasha never made an appearance in Star Trek: Picard.

It took seven years for Seth MacFarlane to reunite the cast of The Next Generation following Nemesis, but it wasn’t until another 14 years that Star Trek: Picard managed to do the same (excluding the 2009 Family Guy episode). In essence, a total of 21 years passed before Picard brought together the crew of the USS Enterprise canonically. If we trace this back from the beginning, the first episode of The Next Generation was in 1987, so it would be 36 years later when Patrick Stewart and his team finished their run on Star Trek: Picard’s last season.

“Not All Dogs Go To Heaven” Remains The Biggest Of Many Star Trek References In Family Guy

Seth MacFarlane loves Star Trek, and it’s obvious

Nearly all Seth MacFarlane productions are rich with Star Trek allusions, but Family Guy seems to have a special affinity for drawing from this famous sci-fi series. Even Patrick Stewart, in his role as Captain Picard, has reprised that character in episodes of Family Guy, beyond “Not All Dogs Go to Heaven.” The animated sitcom frequently satirizes characters and scenes from Star Trek: The Original Series, although it’s unclear if MacFarlane maintains close relationships with the cast of William Shatner’s show, as those instances often feature different actors playing Captain Kirk and his crew.

It’s quite apparent, especially from shows like Family Guy and American Dad!, that Seth MacFarlane is a dedicated Star Trek enthusiast. His shows are filled with references to the sci-fi series, but what truly gives it away is his creation of The Orville – a clear homage to Star Trek. Although The Orville isn’t part of the same universe as Star Trek: The Next Generation or Star Trek: Picard, its close resemblance to a space opera makes it almost part of the same family due to MacFarlane’s faithfulness to the original concept.

Read More

2025-05-26 03:57