Watch: Star Trek TNG Stars Talk Romance, Bad Costumes, Character Similarities & More At WW Chicago

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On Sunday the entire cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation reuinited in Chicago for a Wizard World panel discussion moderated by none other than William Shatner. We have photos from the event and some video clips below. Plus the ultimate Star Trek selfie!

Photos and Videos From TNG Reunion At Wizard World Chicago 2014

The cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation – Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, LeVar Burton, and Brent Spiner were at Wizard World Chicago over the weekend. The actors signed autographs over the weekend and then on Sunday held a special reunion panel at the Rosemont Theater, moderated by William Shatner.

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The TNG reunion in Chicago – August 24, 2014 (Photo: Maria Jose Tenuto)

Stewart & Frakes Talks Character Romances – McFadden Talks Women + Spiner Talks Exploding Data + More

Topics ranged, one of the more interesting bits was where each of the actors talked about what story arcs they most wanted (sometimes achieved sometimes not) for their characters. Stewart talked about how he wanted a real romantic relationship for Picard and not one that was "long since gone" noting "give me a break, I am following in the footsteps of William Shatner!" Stewart’s desire resulted in the episode of "Captain’s Holiday." Frakes noted "like Kirk, I did have something in every port" to which Sirits quipped "didn’t a lot of them die after they did you."

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Patrick Stewart and William Shatner at WW Chicago TNG Reunion

Getting more serious McFadden lamented Dr. Crusher didn’t have more scenes with Tasha Yar, adding "or just more scenes with women where they weren’t just working out." Spiner then turned things jocular again by saying "I thought it would be really cool if we could see Data blow up…just explode…and my dream was granted."

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Gates McFadden at WW Chicago TNG Reunion (Photo: Maria Jose Tenuto)

When it came turn for LeVar Burton to talk Shatner asked what it was like for him in his "empty bed" and LeVar noted "yes Bill, I really wanted Geordi to get laid." Burton noted "there is a stereotype that the engineers of the world are awkward around the opposite sex…and that is a stereotype that survives into the 24th century."

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LeVar Burton at WW Chicago TNG Reunion (Photo: Maria Jose Tenuto)

Marina Sirtis noted that Troi was "like the bike of the Enterprise…everybody gets a ride" She also agreed with McFadden that the women characters "didn’t do much in our spare time" besides "banging aliens," adding "Worf was an orphan, but he had more relatives than us put together."

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Marina Sirtis at WW Chicago TNG Reunion (Photo: Maria Jose Tenuto)

Watch them discuss that in the video below.


(Video by WalkinCrow)

TNG Gang Gripe About Costumes + Talk Character Similarities

Another topic that got the group agreeing was the issue of the costumes and how they hated them. Sirtis noted that she started off not wearing the early spandex uniform because it made her "look fat" and so they went with her "cosmic cheerleader outfit" but then later Gene Roddenberry rationalized that she shouldn’t wear a uniform since she was the ship’s psychiatrist and it would make people more comfortable if she wore "civies."

Gates noted that even though the rest of the cast got to change uniforms in season 3, she ended up wearing spandex for seven seasons and four films. Brent Spiner then did his Patrick Stewart impersonation "I’m not wearing this!" on how it was him who demanded the change of uniform. Frakes added "I hated those space suits." Marina also revealed that she lead the "revolution" in the cast refuse to wear the Deep Space Nine uniforms.

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William Shatner and Brent Spiner at WW Chicago TNG Reunion (Photo: Maria Jose Tenuto)

When asked if there were similarities between themselves and the characters Marina noted there was "none" saying "I’m the exact opposite of Troi. She was very sweet, very non-judgmental, and I’m an evil cow." Dorn also said there was none of himself in Worf. LeVar said "he would like to believe" he shared traits with Geordi, including as a "genuine enthusiasm for life."

Patrick Stewart said he felt a lot of affinity with Jean Luc Picard as the show went on, "I feel a kinship with my character." To which Spiner joked "everyone knows Data and I are the same" with Frakes adding "Data was Christ-like." Gates said she "would like to be" as compassionate as Beverly Crusher. Jonathan Frakes said he would like to be "I would like to be as honorable and as loyal and as righteous as Riker…but I do play the trombone."

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Michael Dorn at WW Chicago TNG Reunion (Photo: Maria Jose Tenuto)

Watch the uniform exchange and discussion of characters below (starting at 18:30).


(Video by Assassins Gnome)

Ultimate Star Trek Selfie

On Sunday LeVar sent out this Star Trek selfie

Posted using Mobypicture.com

TNG Reunions Coming To London and Montreal

The Star Trek: TNG Cast will be reunited again at Montreal ComicCon (Sept 12-14) and Destination Star Trek 3 in London (October 3rd – 5th).

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Another fine report. Thaks

These guys love each other.
So refreshing.

I wish I coold’ve been there!

Marina Sirtis said Troi was “like the BIKE of the Enterprise,” (as in everyone gets a ride) not wife.

Also not mentioned here is how terrible Shatner was at a moderator and made really inappropriate jokes and statements to both LeVar Burton and Gates McFadden causing the crowd to boo him. When he wasn’t doing that he was telling rambling stories that detracted from the rest of the cast. The TNG actors were awesome and I wish they would have had more chance to tell stories and interact with each other because that was really fun to watch.

It was real nice I attended the autographed signing. Patrick was real nice

What th’ heck is James Spader doing in that selfie?!

That was a hoot!

@4. Shark

Thats how I felt about Shatner during his Captain’s documentary. He turned all the interviews around to talk about himself.

Shatner looks like he just found out he paid too much for his hotel room in that selfie. ROTFLMAO

# 9. Viking – August 26, 2014

” Shatner looks like he just found out he paid too much for his hotel room in that selfie.” — Viking

He looks worse than that, as if he’d just discovered on the display of the phone taking the selfie that he could have gotten a better deal at PriceLine.

I totally agree with Shark’s comment that Shatner didn’t do a great job as moderator. His inappropriate jokes and comments to LeVar Burton and Gates McFadden deserved the boos they got. I would have liked to see a bit more structure to the questioning, like trying to engage the cast on when they hit their stride with their characters and difficulties in the first couple years of TNG. Bill needed to be more organized and then get out of the way as moderator. He seemed to be trying to ask grandiose questions, like wanting Dorn to talk about THE Klingons, as a race, when Dorn’s interpretation of Worf was what was important and pertinent. The panel was good and entertaining, but could have been great with a different moderator in my opinion.

Wow the TNG cast (& Shatner) look great in the selfie, get them all in Trek 3!

and no Dorn? (he was taking the pic right?) who is that at the back?

@ Khan 2.0 – You can just see Dorn’s glasses at the right edge of the photo.

Really wish I could attend one of these conventions.

As to Shatner’s moderation (re: questioning style), perhaps he’s trying to make Raw Nerve : The Next Generation.

Actually, there’s just a sliver of Michael Dorn’s head to the right of Marina.

The Shat looks surprised to be surrounded by a cast that genuinely loves each other!

I’m surprised you guys got away with videotaping this. Is that not usually a strict no-no?

Would’ve loved to have been there. Great report, thanks for sharing.

Shatner’s Raw Nerve was actually one of the best talk-shows I’ve ever seen. When Shatner prepares for an interview, he’s unstoppable. This setting was more loose and off-the-cuff.

# 11. David – August 27, 2014

” Bill needed to be more organized and then get out of the way as moderator. He seemed to be trying to ask grandiose questions, like wanting Dorn to talk about THE Klingons, as a race, when Dorn’s interpretation of Worf was what was important and pertinent. The panel was good and entertaining, but could have been great with a different moderator in my opinion.” — David

Perhaps, but I suspect it is more along the lines that I’ve pointed out more than a few times in spite of many apparently willing to believe to the contrary: Shatner neither ad libbed nor contributed in anyway to the writing of his SNL “Get a Life!” skit.

LOL @ #10. That’s the general idea……….

Everyone should know….It’s always about Bill Shatner….

Come on, Bill, it looks like someone just slipped you a suppository….

It was nice to see this video, however , I hate these type of videos , you really can’t hear what the cast is saying and that women with the annoying laugh, It would have been nice to see and hear an official video of this.

Shatter’s ad libs have always been excruciating. The man needs a writer. I’m guessing he had one (and a director) for his one-man show.

That said, Patrick Stewart is also incredibly awkward and unfunny when he’s trying to be funny in interviews. I remember Peter Ustinov commenting on this when both appeared on Regis and Kathie-Lee, years ago.

#24. Jack – August 29, 2014

My point exactly on Shatner. He can deliver a funny line well, but as a comedy writer and especially as a funny ad libber he is wanting.

stunt hosting, that’s all.
I wonder if Mr. Shatner has surrounded himself by “yes” men or women.
No, Bill you were great! No, Bill nobody can tell if that’s a toupee.
You start to believe what your inner circle tells you about yourself.
Please, no disrespect to Mr. Shatner from myself. I’ve admired his career very much.
I’ve enjoyed just about everything he’s done.
Actors are a unique creature.

*Shatner (Freudian autocorrect)

Anyone seen his TNG doc yet? Is it soulless of me to think that he’s suddenly interested in TNG because now he’s involved (and has a product to plug).

I saw Shat’s World (is that what it’s called) and it was surprisingly entertaining — even the a few of the especially groan-worthy stories I’d heard many times before (that time a kid thought I was Captain Kirk and my trailer was a spaceship). I was feeling pretty warm toward the guy after it, though (until I watched a YouTube of him with Joan Collins talking about city on the edge of forever and his jokes were just awful).

BTW. Thank you for not mentioning Captain Worf. It’s pretty much entirely Michael Dorn’s fantasy at this point & yet gets covered because people keep asking him about it.

My God! They’ve all got to look so old!

(And now, so am I!)

Eek!

Oh, and Shatner will likely have been 100 per cent scripted.

OMG. It’s the SAME questions they are asked at EVERY convention week after week YEAR after year.

Everyone in the audience pretends they haven’t heard these anecdotes 1000x.

The actors pretend they haven’t been asked these same stupid questions for 25 years.

“Ummm… Mr. Stewart… did you have a favourite episode?”

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