<P> The seventh season was The Next Generation's last . The penultimate episode, "Preemptive Strike", concluded the plot line for the recurring character Ensign Ro Laren and introduced themes that continued in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager . The Next Generation series finale, "All Good Things ...", was a double - length episode (separated into two parts for reruns) that aired the week of May 19, 1994, revisiting the events of the pilot and providing a bookend to the series . Toronto's SkyDome played host to a massive event for the series finale . Thousands of people packed the stadium to watch the final episode on the stadium's JumboTron . Five seventh - season episodes were nominated for nine Emmys, and the series as a whole was the first syndicated television series nominated for Outstanding Drama Series . To this day, The Next Generation is the only syndicated drama to be nominated in this category . "All Good Things ..." won for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Special Visual Effects, and "Genesis" won for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Drama Series . "All Good Things ..." also won the second of the series's two Hugo Awards . </P> <P> Although the cast members were contracted for eight seasons, Paramount ended The Next Generation after seven, which disappointed and puzzled some of the actors, and was an unusual decision for a successful television show . Paramount then made films using the cast, which it believed would be less successful if the show was still on television . Another reason was that season eight would likely have reduced the show's profitability due to higher cast salaries and a lower price per episode when sold for stripping . The show's strong ratings continued to the end; the series finale was ranked no . 2 among all shows that week, between fellow hits Home Improvement and Seinfeld . </P> <Ul> <Li> Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean - Luc Picard, commanding officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise . Stewart also played the character in the pilot episode of Deep Space Nine . </Li> <Li> Jonathan Frakes as Commander William Riker, the ship's first officer . The Riker character was influenced by concepts for first officer Willard Decker in the Star Trek: Phase II television series . Decker's romantic history with helmsman Ilia was mirrored in The Next Generation in the relationship between Riker and Deanna Troi . Riker also appears in an episode each of Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise . In addition to William Riker, Frakes played William's transporter - created double, Thomas, in one episode each of The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . </Li> <Li> LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge . La Forge was initially the ship's helmsman, but the character becomes chief engineer beginning in the second season . Burton also played the character in an episode of Voyager . </Li> <Li> Denise Crosby as Tasha Yar, chief of security and tactical officer . Crosby left the series at the end of the first season, and the Yar character was killed . Yar returns in alternate timelines in the award - winning episode "Yesterday's Enterprise" and the series finale, "All Good Things ...". Crosby also played Commander Sela, Yar's half - Romulan daughter . </Li> <Li> Michael Dorn as Worf, a Klingon . Worf initially appears as a junior officer fulfilling several roles on the bridge . When Denise Crosby left at the end of the first season, the Worf character succeeded Lieutenant Yar as the ship's chief of security and tactical officer . Dorn reprised the role as a regular in seasons 4--7 of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and also played another Klingon, also named Worf, in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country; with 282 on screen appearances, Dorn has the most appearances of any actor in the Star Trek franchise . </Li> <Li> Gates McFadden as Doctor Beverly Crusher, the Enterprise's chief medical officer . As a fully certified bridge officer, Dr. Crusher had the ability to command the Enterprise, if circumstances required her to do so . She would also, occasionally, command night watch shifts on the ship's main bridge in order to stay on top of starship operations . McFadden was fired after the first season, but was rehired for the third season and remained for the remainder of the series . </Li> <Li> Diana Muldaur as Doctor Katherine Pulaski . The Pulaski character was created to replace Dr. Crusher for the show's second season . Muldaur, who previously appeared in two episodes of the original Star Trek, never received billing in the opening credits; instead, she was listed as a special guest star during the first act . </Li> <Li> Marina Sirtis as the half - human, half - Betazoid ship's counselor, Lt. Cmdr . Deanna Troi . Starting in the Season 7 episode "Thine own self", Counselor Troi, having taken and completed the bridge officer's test, is later promoted to the rank of Commander, which allowed her to take command of the ship, and also, perform other bridge duties other than those of a ship's counselor . The character's relationship with first officer Riker was a carry - over from character ideas developed for Phase II . Troi also appears in later episodes of Voyager and in the finale of Enterprise . </Li> <Li> Brent Spiner as Lieutenant Commander Data, an android who serves as second officer and operations officer . Data's "outsider's" perspective on humanity served a similar narrative purpose as Spock's in the original Star Trek . Spiner also played his "brother", Lore, and his creator, Noonien Soong . In Enterprise, Spiner played Noonien's ancestor, Arik, and contributed a brief voiceover (heard over the Enterprise - D's intercom) in the Enterprise finale . </Li> <Li> Wil Wheaton as Beverly Crusher's son, Wesley . Wesley becomes an acting ensign and, later, receives a field commission to Ensign, before attending Starfleet Academy . After being a regular for the first four seasons, Wheaton appeared sporadically as Wesley Crusher for the remainder of the series . </Li> </Ul> <Li> Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean - Luc Picard, commanding officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise . Stewart also played the character in the pilot episode of Deep Space Nine . </Li>

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