Star Trek: The Next Generation ( TNG ) is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry . It originally aired from September 28, 1987, to May 23, 1994, in syndication, spanning 178 episodes over seven seasons. The third series in the Star Trek franchise, it was inspired by Star Trek: The Original Series . Set in the latter third of the 24th century, when Earth is part of the United Federation of Planets , it follows the adventures of a Starfleet starship , the USS Enterprise (NCC
In the 1980s, Roddenberry—who was responsible for the original Star Trek , Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973–1974), and the first of a series of films—was tasked by Paramount Pictures with creating a new series in the franchise. He decided to set it a century after the events of his original series. The Next Generation featured a new crew: Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard , Jonathan Frakes as William Riker , Brent Spiner as Data , Michael Dorn as Worf , LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge , Marina
Roddenberry, Maurice Hurley , Rick Berman , Michael Piller , and Jeri Taylor served as executive producers at various times throughout its production. The series was broadcast in first-run syndication with dates and times varying among individual television stations. Stewart's voice-over introduction during each episode's opening credits stated the starship's purpose: