The Origins of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the Role of the Original Cast

The common belief is that Star Trek: The Next Generation was created solely due to William Shatner's salary demands for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. However, this narrative is more complex and involves various factors and decisions from the entertainment industry.

Development Context and Influence

The development of Star Trek: The Next Generation was influenced by the desire to#160;revitalize the Star Trek franchise after its initial series and films had finished. The mid-1980s saw a need to expand the Star Trek universe and introduce new characters and stories. The show was conceived in the mid-1980s and its first episode aired in 1987, several years after the release of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home in 1986.

Profitability and Casting Decisions

The article you mentioned suggests that one of the factors in creating a new series was the desire to be more profitable. By building a television series with an all-new cast of unknown actors, the producers aimed to reduce costs and, subsequently, their reliance on the original cast's salaries.

As discussed here, the original cast had successfully starred in numerous films, making it inappropriate for them to reprise their roles in a new television series by the 1980s. Leonard Nimoy and other original actors had also declined to be involved in Phase II, a proposed new series.

William Shatner, although a prominent figure in the earlier Star Trek films, had become too expensive for the studio. This financial consideration played a role in the decision to choose a new cast for Star Trek: The Next Generation, but it was not the sole reason for creating the series.

The Star Trek Franchise Timeline

After the original Star Trek series was cancelled in 1969, it gained immense popularity with re-runs, showing its enduring appeal to new and old fans. In the mid-1970s, there was a realization that the original series had been a mistake to cancel and a second Star Trek series, Star Trek Phase II, was proposed. However, the rise of Star Wars in 1977 shifted focus towards producing Star Trek films.

By the 1980s, with the successful film franchise in place, the idea of creating a new television series was revisited with Gene Roddenberry at the helm. The new series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, premiered in 1987, marking a revival of the Star Trek franchise tailored to a new generation of viewers.

Conclusion

While the financial considerations and salary negotiations of the original cast were certainly factors, they were part of a larger picture. Star Trek: The Next Generation was created to address the evolving needs of the Star Trek franchise and to introduce new characters and stories to expand the franchise's reach and appeal.