Editing Star Trek: The Next Generation (section)

==Background==
[[File:Enterprise-D bridge.jpg|thumb|left|Re-creation of the ''TNG'' starship bridge for ''[[Star Trek: The Exhibition]]'']]
Due to the original series' popularity in syndication, [[Paramount Pictures]] began to consider making a ''Star Trek'' film as early as 1972. However, with 1977's release of ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'', Paramount decided not to compete in the science fiction movie category and shifted their efforts to a new ''Star Trek'' television series. The ''Original Series'' actors were approached to reprise their roles; sketches, models, sets and props were created for ''[[Star Trek: Phase II]]'' until Paramount changed its mind again and decided to create feature films starring the ''Original Series'' cast.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/a-canceled-star-trek-show-from-the-70s-quietly-shaped-every-sequel-since|title=A canceled Star Trek show from the '70s quietly shaped every sequel since|last=Kaye|first=Don|date=September 27, 2017|work=Syfy|access-date=August 8, 2018|language=en|archive-date=July 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728024746/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/a-canceled-star-trek-show-from-the-70s-quietly-shaped-every-sequel-since|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/12/27/remembering-star-trek-phase-ii|title=Remembering Star Trek: Phase II|last=Seibold|first=Witney|date=December 27, 2017|website=[[IGN]]|language=en-US|access-date=August 8, 2018|archive-date=July 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730121737/http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/12/27/remembering-star-trek-phase-ii|url-status=live}}</ref>

By 1986, 20 years after the original ''Star Trek''{{'}}s debut on [[NBC]], the franchise's longevity amazed Paramount Pictures executives. Chairman [[Frank Mancuso Sr.]] observed that "The shelf life in this business is usually three days. To flourish for 20 years..." He and others described ''Trek'' as the studio's "crown jewel", a "priceless asset" that "must not be squandered". The series was the most popular [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated]] television program 17 years after cancellation,<ref name="harmetz19861102">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/02/arts/new-star-trek-plan-reflects-symbiosis-of-tv-and-movies.html?pagewanted=all | title=New 'Star Trek' Plan Reflects Symbiosis of TV and Movies | work=The New York Times | date=November 2, 1986 | access-date=February 11, 2015 | last=Harmetz | first=Aljean | page=31 | archive-date=February 12, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212145559/http://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/02/arts/new-star-trek-plan-reflects-symbiosis-of-tv-and-movies.html?pagewanted=all | url-status=live }}</ref> and the [[Harve Bennett]]-produced, ''Original Series''-era [[Star Trek (film series)|''Star Trek'' films]] did well at the box office.<ref name="TNGComp1">{{cite book |last1=Nemecek |first1=Larry |editor1-first=Dave |editor1-last=Stern |title=The Star Trek The Next Generation Companion |year=1992 |publisher=[[Pocket Books]] |location=New York|isbn=0-671-79460-4 |page=[https://archive.org/details/startreknextgene00neme/page/1 1] |chapter=Rebirth |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/startreknextgene00neme/page/1 }}</ref> [[William Shatner]] and [[Leonard Nimoy]]'s salary demands for the film ''[[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]]'' (1986) caused the studio to plan for a new ''Star Trek'' television series. Paramount executives worried that a new series could hurt the demand for the films, but decided that it would increase their appeal on videocassette and cable,{{r|harmetz19861102}} and that a series with unknown actors would be more profitable than paying the films' actors' large salaries.{{r|teitelbaum19910505}} Roddenberry initially declined to be involved, but came on board as creator after being unhappy with early conceptual work. ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' was announced on October 10, 1986,<ref name="companion" /> and its cast in May 1987.<ref name="ap19870521">{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hUNgAAAAIBAJ&pg=1258,1275754 | title=Roddenberry names new Star Trek crew | work=The StarPhoenix | date=May 21, 1987 | access-date=May 9, 2011 | agency=Associated Press | location=Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | pages=C3 | archive-date=November 18, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118033814/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hUNgAAAAIBAJ&pg=1258%2C1275754 | url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Enterprise-D bridge stations.jpg|thumb|Bridge stations within the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)]], as seen at ''[[Star Trek: The Experience]]'']]

Paramount executive Rick Berman was assigned to the series at Roddenberry's request. Roddenberry hired a number of ''Star Trek'' veterans, including [[Robert H. Justman|Bob Justman]], [[D. C. Fontana]], Eddie Milkis and [[David Gerrold]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/ENT/creative/69089.html|title=Star Trek Rick Berman Bio|access-date=April 22, 2009|archive-date=August 12, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040812122134/http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/ENT/creative/69089.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Early proposals for the series included one in which some of the original series cast might appear as "elder statesmen",{{r|harmetz19861102}} and Roddenberry speculated as late as October 1986 that the new series might not even use a spaceship, as "people might travel by some [other] means" 100 years after the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'']].<ref name="gendel19871011">{{cite news| title=NEW 'TREK' IS ON THE LAUNCH PAD | work=Los Angeles Times | date=October 11, 1986 | author=Gendel, Morgan | page=1|id = {{ProQuest|292461160}}}}</ref> A more lasting change was his new belief that workplace interpersonal conflict would no longer exist in the future; thus, the new series did not have parallels to the frequent "crusty banter" between [[James T. Kirk|Kirk]], [[Spock]], and [[Leonard McCoy]].<ref name="teitelbaum19910505">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-05-tm-2100-story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106201722/http://articles.latimes.com/print/1991-05-05/magazine/tm-2100_1_star-trek |archive-date=November 6, 2015 |title=How Gene Roddenberry and his Brain Trust Have Boldly Taken 'Star Trek' Where No TV Series Has Gone Before : Trekking to the Top |work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 5, 1991 |page=16 |access-date=January 26, 2022 |last=Teitelbaum |first=Sheldon}}</ref> According to series actor Patrick Stewart, Berman was more receptive than Roddenberry to the series addressing political issues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://trekmovie.com/2010/06/22/video-patrick-stewart-on-how-he-expected-tng-to-fail-roddenberry-v-berman-star-trek-albatross-more/|title=VIDEO: Patrick Stewart On Expecting TNG To Fail, Roddenberry v Berman, Star Trek 'Albatross' + more|date=June 22, 2010|access-date=April 8, 2011|archive-date=June 28, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628012101/http://trekmovie.com/2010/06/22/video-patrick-stewart-on-how-he-expected-tng-to-fail-roddenberry-v-berman-star-trek-albatross-more/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The series' music theme combined the fanfare from the original series theme by [[Alexander Courage]] with [[Jerry Goldsmith]]'s theme for ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'' (1979). Some early episodes' plots derived from outlines created for ''Star Trek: Phase II''.<ref name="companion" /> Additionally, some sets used in the ''Original Series''-era films were redressed for ''The Next Generation'', and in turn used for subsequent ''Original Series'' films.<ref name="TNGTM">{{cite book|author=[[Michael Okuda|Okuda, Michael]] and [[Rick Sternbach]]|year=1991|title=Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual|publisher=Pocket Books|isbn=0-671-70427-3|title-link=Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual}}</ref> Part of the transporter room set in ''TNG'' was used in the original ''Star Trek''{{'}}s transporter set.<ref name="TNGTM" />

===Syndication and profitability===
Despite ''Star Trek''{{'}}s proven success, NBC and ABC only offered to consider pilot scripts for the new series, and CBS offered to air a [[backdoor pilot|miniseries that could become a series]] if it did well. Paramount executives were offended that the [[Big Three television networks]] treated their most appealing and valuable property like any other series. [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] wanted the show to help launch the new network, but wanted it by March 1987, and would only commit to 13 episodes instead of a full season. The unsuccessful negotiations convinced the studio that it could only protect ''Star Trek'' with full control.{{r|harmetz19861102}}{{r|gendel19871011}}

Paramount increased and accelerated the show's profitability by choosing to instead broadcast it in [[first-run syndication]]<ref name="weinstein19880503">{{cite news | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-05-03-ca-2130-story.html| title=Newest 'Star Trek' Zooms at Warp Speed : 'Next Generation' Series Scores With Viewers and Critics Alike | work=Los Angeles Times | date=May 3, 1988 | access-date=May 11, 2011 | last=Weinstein | first=Steve | archive-date=November 17, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117213136/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-05-03-ca-2130-story.html | url-status=live }}</ref>{{r|teitelbaum19910505}}{{r|pearson2011}}{{rp|123–124}} on [[Independent station (North America)|independent station]]s (whose numbers had more than tripled since 1980) and Big Three [[network affiliate]]s.{{r|harmetz19861102}} The studio offered the show to local stations for free as [[barter syndication]]. The stations sold five minutes of commercial time to local advertisers and Paramount sold the remaining seven minutes to national advertisers. Stations had to commit to purchasing reruns in the future,{{r|weinstein19880503}} and only those that aired the new show could purchase the popular reruns of the ''Original Series''.<ref name="davies2007">{{cite book | title=NBC: America's Network | chapter=The Little Program That Could: The Relationship Between NBC and ''Star Trek'' | publisher=University of California Press | last=Davies | first=Máire Messenger | author2=Roberta Pearson | editor=Hilmes, Michele | editor2=Henry, Michael Lowell | year=2007 | chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lhmw637JRgUC&pg=PA209 | isbn=978-0-520-25079-6 | access-date=February 19, 2016 | archive-date=July 4, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160704184438/https://books.google.com/books?id=lhmw637JRgUC&pg=PA209 | url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|222}}<ref>{{cite book|title=Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry|author=Alexander, David|publisher=Roc|year=1994|isbn=0-451-45440-5|url=https://archive.org/details/startrekcreator00davi}}</ref>

The studio's strategy succeeded. Most of the 150 stations airing reruns of the original ''Star Trek'' wanted to prevent a competitor from airing the new show; ultimately, 210 stations covering 90% of the United States became part of Paramount's informal nationwide network for ''TNG''.{{r|weinstein19880503}}{{r|harmetz19871004}} In early October 1987, more than 50 network affiliates pre-empted their own shows for the series pilot, "[[Encounter at Farpoint]]". One station predicted that "''Star Trek'' promises to be one of the most successful programs of the season, network or syndicated".{{r|harmetz19871004}} Special effects were by [[Industrial Light and Magic]], a Division of [[Lucasfilm]].<ref name="Nemecek2012">{{cite book |last1=Nemecek |first1=Larry |title=The Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion |date=September 25, 2012 |publisher=Pocket Books (Simon & Schuster UK) |isbn=9781471106798 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VTifVpk6cekC&q=%22the+next+generation%22+%22industrial+light%22&pg=PT19 |access-date=November 17, 2020 |archive-date=November 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117213135/https://books.google.com/books?id=VTifVpk6cekC&q=%22the+next+generation%22+%22industrial+light%22&pg=PT19 |url-status=live }}</ref> The new show indeed performed well; the pilot's ratings were higher than those of many network programs,<ref name="harmetz19871004">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/04/arts/syndicated-star-trek-puts-dent-in-networks.html | title=Syndicated 'Star Trek' Puts Dent in Networks | work=The New York Times | date=October 4, 1987 | access-date=May 9, 2011 | author=Harmetz, Aljean | archive-date=November 13, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113141855/http://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/04/arts/syndicated-star-trek-puts-dent-in-networks.html | url-status=live }}</ref> and ratings remained comparable to network shows by the end of the first season, despite the handicap of each station airing the show on a different day and time, often outside prime time. By the end of the first season, Paramount reportedly received $1&nbsp;million for advertising per episode, more than the roughly $800,000 fee that networks typically paid for a one-hour show;{{r|weinstein19880503}} by 1992, when the budget for each episode had risen to almost $2&nbsp;million,{{r|cerone19921106}} the studio earned $90&nbsp;million from advertising annually from first-run episodes, with each 30-second commercial selling for $115,000 to $150,000.{{r|mcclellan19920217}}<ref name="cerone1992">{{cite news | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-03-19-ca-12911-story.html |title=Syndication is going where the action ''was''. Mixing revivals of old TV hits with brand-new series, programmers are pinning hopes on a once-vibrant genre | work=Los Angeles Times | date=November 1, 1992 | access-date=January 26, 2022| author=Cerone, Daniel | archive-date=November 6, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106201835/http://articles.latimes.com/print/1992-11-01/entertainment/ca-1591_1_action-series}}</ref> The show had a 40% [[return on investment]] for Paramount, with $30 to $60&nbsp;million in annual upfront net profit for first-run episodes and another $70&nbsp;million for [[stripping (television)|stripping]] rights for each of the about 100 episodes then available, so they did not need overseas sales to be successful.<ref name=mcclellan19920217>{{cite news | title=HOUR DRAMA BOLDLY GOING TO FIRST-RUN | work=Broadcasting | date=February 17, 1992 | author=McClellan, Steve}}</ref>