Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
New stars. New stories. New worlds to explore.
Follow the intergalactic adventures of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and his loyal crew aboard the all-new USS Enterprise NCC-1701D, as they explore new worlds.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 28 September 1987 |
| Status | Ended, last episode 23 May 1994 |
| Genre | Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Drama, Mystery |
| Created by | Gene Roddenberry |
| Starring | Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spiner |
| Seasons | 7 seasons, 176 episodes |
| Episode length | about 45 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 132 hours |
| Rated | TV-PG |
| Scores | Q123434360 7.9/10 · AlloCiné 2,5/5 · Filmstarts 4,2/5 · Q833424 8.5/10 · IMDb 8.7/10 · CineMagia 8.78/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 92/100 · Movieplayer.it 3.4/5 · TMDB users 8.4/10 |
Where to watch Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is streaming on Paramount+ ($13.99 a month) in the US. At ten hours a week, all of the series takes about 4 months of Paramount+, or $55.96 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 19 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Where to watch Star Trek: The Next Generation in 10 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Australia | Paramount+ |
| Austria | Paramount+ |
| Canada | Paramount+ |
| France | Paramount+ |
| Germany | Paramount+ |
| Honduras | Paramount+ |
| Ireland | Paramount+ |
| Italy | Paramount+ |
| Switzerland | Paramount+ |
| United Kingdom | Paramount+ |
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What kind of watch this is
Star Trek: The Next Generation is a 1987 sci-fi drama about Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701D. It explores new worlds. You get 176 episodes spanning 7 seasons, totaling 132 hours of viewing time. That is a lot of bridge duty. Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, and Brent Spiner anchor the ensemble.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 92 out of 100. IMDb sits at 8.7, while CineMagia lands on 8.78. Entertainment Weekly listed it No. 7 on its "25 Best Cult TV Shows from the Past 25 Years," noting it was a "younger, sleeker offspring" that brought a new generation into the Trekker fold. That phrasing is doing a lot of heavy lifting for a show that also aired in prime time.
How it did with audiences
TMDB users give it an 8.4 out of 10. IMDb, reporting in January 2024, settles on 8.7 out of 10. Those are the numbers that matter here, since the ledger is empty. Without a budget or box office to audit, the verdict rests on the viewer's thumbs.
What came next for the cast
Patrick Stewart traded Excalibur for the X-Men franchise, a shift from medieval knights to mutant mutants. Brent Spiner moved from Stardust Memories to Independence Day. The credits list these roles. They do not explain why one actor became a superhero staple and the other a cosmic villain. The trajectory is less a ladder and more a strange shuffle.
Where it left its mark
Paramount ended the series after seven seasons, a move that puzzled the cast, who had been contracted for eight. The studio calculated that an eighth year would hurt profits due to rising salaries and lower strip pricing. Films followed, a strategy that assumed a live show would clash with movie releases. Ratings held steady until the 1994 finale, which drew over 30 million viewers and ranked number two that week. It was the most-watched Star Trek entry, peaking at 11.5 million during its fifth season. The show grew its audience significantly between 1988 and 1992.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Read more: Star Trek
Sources
- Star Trek: The Next Generation on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q16290 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Star Trek: The Next Generation” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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