William Shatner, known for his iconic role as Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek series and its animated counterpart, has never watched a single episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Shatner appeared in seven Star Trek movies, including Star Trek Generations, where Captain Kirk meets his successor, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, portrayed by Patrick Stewart. Shatner has also contributed several Star Trek novels to the franchise.
Shatner revealed this during “Star Trek: The Captain’s Summit,” a special feature available on Star Trek DVD and Blu-ray collections. Recorded in 2009, the roundtable discussion included Shatner, Stewart, Leonard Nimoy (Commander Spock), and Jonathan Frakes (Commander Riker), and was moderated by Whoopi Goldberg. The participants discussed the history of the franchise and their respective roles over the course of a 70-minute chat.
Shatner’s Surprising Admission
The conversation turned to the various movies and shows the cast members had made. Stewart asked Shatner why he never appeared on The Next Generation TV series, noting that other original Star Trek cast members like Nimoy, James Doohan, and DeForest Kelley had done guest spots on the show.
“So they never approached you?” Stewart asked.
Shatner then admitted: “Patrick, I’m going to admit something to you. You’re my buddy, I love you, we’ve been together many times over the years. We’re really friends, and I’ve never told you this. I’ve never watched your show. I never saw a full episode of The Next Generation.”
Stewart and Frakes reacted with good humor, noting that it took “huge balls” for Shatner to admit this on camera for a Star Trek DVD special feature. Stewart even suggested inviting Shatner over one night to watch an episode, expressing surprise at the number of episodes The Next Generation had compared to the original series.
Shatner explained that he doesn’t watch television, including shows he starred in like Boston Legal. He also admitted there was “some reluctance, buried way deep” to watch the new crew that replaced the original Star Trek cast. However, he noted that he preferred watching news and sports over fiction shows.
Nimoy humorously accused Shatner of lying about his reasons, which evoked laughter from everyone at the roundtable.
You can watch the full “Captain’s Summit” roundtable at this link. The discussion about The Next Generation begins around 26 minutes in. While it remains uncertain if Shatner has since watched any episodes, this candid moment highlights an interesting dynamic between the original and newer casts.
Wrapping Up
This intriguing revelation from Shatner during a nostalgic roundtable adds depth to the lore behind Star Trek. For more engaging stories and insightful content, visit HitPlay.
