The Subsequent Technology Ending Defined

“Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology” was, by all measures, way more profitable than the unique “Star Trek” that preceded it. The unique collection wasn’t a giant hit when it first aired in 1966, and did not turn into widespread till Trekkies found it in reruns within the mid-Nineteen Seventies. By the mid-Eighties, the collection not solely had a passionate following, however a number of hit “Star Trek” characteristic movies had been made, making certain that the franchise was long-lasting and broadly celebrated. Creator Gene Roddenberry, wanting a mission he may extra carefully oversee, launched the primary spinoff “Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology” in 1987, fast-forwarding the timeline of the franchise by a few century. The brand new present featured a brand new forged of characters, a brand new ship, and a brand new tone. This was, by Roddenberry’s orders, to be much more diplomatic and peaceable than even the unique present. 

“Subsequent Technology” stumbled a bit of in its first two seasons, however hit an amazingly strong groove by its third yr, turning into an enormous success and lasting for seven full seasons. It got here to an in depth in 1994 when procuring reruns turned too costly; all seven “Subsequent Technology” seasons needed to be bought to native TV associates in an enormous chunk and needed to be rerun a number of occasions, so some associates did not need to make the time dedication with all 178 episodes. 

The ultimate episode of “Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology” was a two-hour occasion that aired on Could 23, 1994. It was known as “All Good Issues…,” and it featured an bold time-travel plot set in three timeframes all through “Star Trek” historical past. One timeline was the “current” of the collection. The second timeline was set seven years earlier, proper earlier than the occasions of the “NextGen” pilot episode. The third timeline jumped about 25 years into the long run, the place Picard (Patrick Stewart) was an outdated man. 

“All Good Issues…” is a good finale, largely as a result of it boasts sharp writing from Trek vets Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga. The plot includes Captain Picard turning into “unstuck” in time, a la Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse 5.” Within the current, he’s going through a analysis of a uncommon and deadly mind ailment known as Irumodic Syndrome, one thing that can degrade his capability to operate over many years. Previously, he retains recollections of what’s to come back, however has to wrestle with weird hallucinations whereas dealing with a crew that hasn’t come to know him but. Sooner or later, the Syndrome has executed its work, and Picard has turn into considerably senile. The long run timeframe additionally catches up with what Geordi (LeVar Burton), Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Worf (Michael Dorn), and Information (Brent Spiner) have been as much as. Troi (Marina Sirtis) is useless, and Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) is now a starship captain named Captain Beverly Picard. Sure, she and Picard married and divorced within the interim. 

It is ultimately revealed that the trickster god Q (John de Lancie, a longtime recurring visitor star) has one thing to do with the time-jumps. It is doable Q is simply testing Picard’s resolve and cleverness. Picard ultimately finds a weird and damaging spatial phenomenon that’s enormous prior to now, of common measurement within the current, and nonexistent sooner or later. What is going on? Evidently the phenomenon is getting bigger the additional backward in time it travels. And what would occur if that phenomenon continued to burn to the start of time? Wouldn’t it destroy life on historic planets? Maybe. Picard has to come back to phrases with the truth that he’s coping with a temporal paradox. 

It is a cool story, and the sort of heady sci-fi idea that Trekkies eat up. It definitely did not harm that “All Good Issues…” was capable of give viewers a glimpse into the long run and a nostalgic look into the previous. 

Picard ultimately figures out the character of the spatial phenomenon, and accepts that paradoxes are certainly doable. Q is impressed that human minds are able to greedy such issues, and lets Picard return to his “current.” Was all of it a dream? Did any of this truly occur? It is extra essential that Picard was capable of face a mind-blowing new idea, and show that people are certainly able to psychological development. 

Within the ultimate scene of “All Good Issues…,” Picard enters the room the place his senior employees sometimes collect to play video games of poker. Picard has never stopped to play playing cards, hardly ever fraternizing together with his employees in such a style. They make a seat for him, and he begins to shuffle playing cards. As he does, he pauses and appears across the desk. He realizes that his senior employees is heat and welcoing and that, after seven years of working collectively, they’ve sort of turn into his finest buddies. He feedback that he ought to have come to play poker a very long time in the past. Troi mentions that he was at all times welcome. 

This can be a pleasant technique to finish the collection, letting Picard have a private second. He begins to deal the playing cards, setting parameters for the sport. In terms of betting, he says that “The sky is the restrict.” A beatific line to finish an important TV collection. Picard, just like the Trekkies watching, appears to appreciate that we now have had an excellent factor for these final seven seasons. However, because the title implies, all good issues should come to an finish. The Enterprise-D drifts away, persevering with on its mission.

An admirable element of “All Good Issues…” is that it does not deliver something to a definitive shut. “Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology” does not finish with Picard leaving the ship to tackle a brand new command, the loss of life of a serious character, or something dramatic. The implication is that the adventures of the Enterprise-D will proceed, however we merely will not be allowed to see them anymore. If this was to be the final time followers see the “Subsequent Technology” characters, it was a becoming send-off. 

After all, at this level in “Star Trek” historical past, manufacturing was already underway for “Star Trek: Generations,” the primary theatrical characteristic movie primarily based on “Subsequent Technology.” “All Good Issues…” aired on Could 23, whereas “Generations” hit theaters on November 18. Trekkies solely needed to wait six months to see their favourite characters once more. Additionally, Trekkies would have been taking note of press bulletins and capturing schedules, so there was no concern that Captain Picard would not return. We knew there was extra coming. 

This type of took the sting off “All Good Issues…” It was an excellent ending to an important TV present, however nobody was beneath any illusions that it was the precise ending. If something, it was only a stop-gap within the franchise. Certainly, “Star Trek: Deep Area 9” was already in its third season by the point “Generations” got here out, and “Star Trek: Voyager” was to debut in January of 1995, so the finale for “Subsequent Technology” turned rather less significant among the many glut. Sure, it was a fond farewell, but it surely wasn’t an adieu. 

Additionally, it did not assist issues that, nicely, “Generations” sort of sucked. 

Teleplay author Ron D. Moore recalled “All Good Issues…” as a busy time in his life. He favored the finale, however his consideration was break up between “All Good Issues…” and “Generations.” He even talked about how “All Good Issues…” was purported to have a fourth timeline story involving the Borg, however that he was maybe getting too bold with that one. Certainly, within the oral historical past ebook “The Fifty-12 months Mission: The Subsequent 25 Years: From The Subsequent Technology to J. J. Abrams,” edited by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, there are not many complaints from the forged and crew on the episode. Everybody knew the present was going to come back to an finish, although some forged members — Jonathan Frakes specifically — remembered that he had signed on for extra seasons. But when this was going to be the ending, it was an excellent one. 

Greater than something, studying “Fifty-12 months Mission” largely reveals tales of fatigue. 1992 to 1996 was a golden age for “Star Trek,” as three exhibits and two characteristic movies had been all in numerous levels of manufacturing. Audiences had been enormous, and the franchise felt unified, all overseen by the got here inventive crew. In 1994, “Generations” and “All Good Issues…” had been capturing back-to-back, all whereas “DS9” and “Voyager” had been casting and capturing on new units. One can forgive the forged and crew for less than remembering the bustle. 

After all, as a result of “Star Trek” was rolling forward with “Subsequent Technology”-inspired films, the characters would have a couple of extra finales to content material with. “Generations” was adopted by “Star Trek: First Contact” in 1996, “Star Trek: Revolt” in 1998, and “Star Trek: Nemesis” in 2002. “Nemesis” was essentially the most disappointing of the quartet, because it ends on such an anticlimactic be aware. By 2002, it was clear that the “Subsequent Technology” forged members had been executed, and it was time to separate everybody up into their separate lives. Riker and Troi married, and Riker was to turn into the captain of a ship known as the united statesS. Titan. Additionally, “Nemesis” ended with Information sacrificing his life to save lots of his buddies. 

The ultimate scenes of “Nemesis” are melancholic and downright miserable. Information is useless, Worf is already on a brand new gig, and the “crew” is breaking apart. It might have been fantastic if the breakup was offered as inevitable, a tragic development of time, however it’s so clumsily dealt with that it merely looks like a giant bummer. 

In 2023, nonetheless, the “Subsequent Technology” forged was assembled for an additional TV occasion, the third season of “Star Trek: Picard.” That collection was set kind of concurrently the “future” sequences from “All Good Issues…,” however this time advised the actual story of the place the characters have landed. Picard and his outdated co-workers assembl to foil a Borg plot and rescue Picard’s long-lost grownup son. On the finish of the collection, the crew gathered at a tavern and, like in “All Good Issues…,” determine to play poker. 

Picard, feeling fortunate, mentions that “the celebrities have at all times been in my favor.” It was, after “Nemesis,” a way more satisfying finish for the “Subsequent Technology” crew.