57 thoughts on “Thirty-three years of TNG”

1. In that case, the LA Times crossword today was particularly fitting!

2. Okay first off, holy shit you are 48. Second, of course you were too young to appreciate it — don’t hammer yourself for it. All teenagers are too young to appreciate a g/d thing. 🙂 You appreciate it now. That’s why we live as long as we do if we’re lucky — so we get the chance to learn the proper perspective on things over time. hug

3. I’m watching the Star Trek Voyager series on Netflix again and working my way through the whole series. It’s amazing how pertinent the issues are today that the series tackled. You are fortunate to have been a part of something that was ahead of it’s time in so many ways.

   1. Especially the whole Nicholas Locarno – Tom Paris thing…amazin!

4. I don’t know what’s weirder, that Sir Patrick Stewart was once 48 or that he’s still somehow not….

5. In some odd timing, I’m about to rewatch the final episode of ST:TNG, which I’ve been rewatching over the last few weeks. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and this time through have appreciated the Wesley character much more. Congratulations, Will, on having been an integral part of a cultural landmark!

6. I hope you know what a difference you made in “Next Generation”; you showed a human touch that sometimes went by the board in favor of stoic action and special effects. Happy Birthday to “Next Generation” and long may it “make it so!”.

7. “I am one year older today than Patrick Stewart was when we filmed Encounter At Farpoint. I literally grew up on the Enterprise.”

   Woah! Man, now I feel old!

8. Amen to that!

9. I have to say this.

   I met star trek tos when I was 7. That was not only amazing, but a cornerstone to whom I became. When I first watched TNG I was 13 and Star Trek became part of my education. And I am glad of it… and you are part of it.

   I am happy about who I became due to the values I gained by watching it. Thank you.

10. Happy Birthday, indeed to TNG. It’s highly ironic, and I hope you won’t mind my noting this, that while that show and the fine actors on it served somewhat as surrogate parents for you, that the actors who played the Captain in all of the TV franchises had fractured marriages. This is spelled out in Shatner’s Captains documentary and in interviews I’ve read. Kate Mulgrew’s kids refuse to watch her show because of how it took her away from them. I’ve been watching the various franchises since I was 8 or 9 years old and have taken so much pleasure and wisdom from them. It’s hard to bear when I think about the personal pain these folks have suffered because they chose to try and have a time-consuming career combined with marriage and family. As Sunday in the Park with George notes: “Art isn’t easy.”

    But most of all, I hope that you find a way to release yourself from the toxicity of your past abuse.

11. Spectacular

12. I grew up watch TNG. My dad fell in love with the original & shared his love with my sister & I. Every week we’d set up a picnic in our family room & watch the new episode as a family. It’s one my most favorite childhood memories. I was a Wesley Crusher fan from the first moment I saw you. And because of Wesley I became a Wil Wheaton fan. 10 year old me would be over the Moon to know some day she’d get the opportunity to interact with Wil Wheaton, have him like her tweet, & get to follow his blog. Happy birthday TNG. Thank you for everything. ❤

13. Wil,

    It is so unfortunate that you were not aware at the time of the absolute inspiration that you all were to us watching at home. A vision for what could be possible if only the human race could get our collective shit together. It meant a lot to me, a nerdy comic book collecting army brat who never had friends and had to fight bullies every day. The work you all did, continues to inspire me to be the best human I can be, to pursue my dreams and to try to improve myself and learn for its own sake. My wife will tell you, and this is the truth, that I watch TNG every night so that I can sleep and keep the demons at bay. Thank you so much for your work dude. It mattered. It matters.

    Best,

    Dave

14. TNG makes me happy every time I watch it, no matter what episode it is, and my son stands transfixed at the screen when the intro music comes on and hums along after saying, “Space…” in a very dramatic way.
    Thanks for bringing smiles for all these years, even through your pain
    Much love

15. I grew up a nerd, born the same year as you and had Trek with me my entire life. I don’t know how many times I’ve watched TNG and I love it every time.
    I love your blog, and you should know that your openness gives my happiness.
    Peace!

16. Today is my father in laws birthday but he doesn’t know it. He was a kind and loving dad to husband growing up – only raising his hand to him once, ever. He had a love for technology and Star Trek and Sci-fi that he passed on with enthusiasm. Husband was/is a die-hard watcher of every series. He missed part of the finale of DS9, because it was early on in our dating… he was coming to my apartment and I was late. Only now do I understand, and for that, I’m sorry. (he knows ; )
    His dad is now in the end stages of Lewy Body Dementia. It’s a horrible disease that takes everything from you, and leaves this empty shell. It could be a few weeks, a few months? It’s hard to tell. He doesn’t speak in sentences, sleeps a lot, and has no idea who anyone is.
    Although you never could have known it at the time, your participation in this simple show was an outlet for those who are inspired by those who boldy go where no man has gone before. That was passed to my father in law, my husband, and to me. A bridge for love.
    So, thank you.
    -mimi

17. It does make me sad that a show and character I loved caused you such pain at times. Happily, it’s really kinda awesome to be able to look back and see how something that you experienced during a hard time in your life actually made a really good part of your life possible. It is for sure unfortunate that you have some negative memories of your time on TNG due to your home life at the time. It’s great that you remain connected to your TNG family and can separate the good from the bad. Through all the crap you dealt with as a child/young adult, the end result (a beautiful wife, sons who love you, opportunities to do things you love, and a legion of fans who are happy to see you do well) is a good one.

18. You know where Trek lives now? Not on TV, games, movies, but in the WWDN comment zone and the salty critique of Red Letter Media videos. After TNG, Trek dropped off a cliff for me. But I’ll always love the first two series.

19. I didn’t discover TNG until over the age 40. I saw bits and pieces of TOS as a kid. Didn’t care for Trek at ALL. I was so oblivious to Trek I thought TOS and TNG were the same show. For a long time I wondered which TOS season had Data in it. On top of that, my first impression of Data was not good, as I had a knack for selecting episodes where Data went “rogue.” For a long time I wondered why people liked this character. I’m all good now, but my Trek beginnings were rather humorous.

20. Star Trek is a huge part of why I am who I am. Thank you for your part in it, Wil. Remember you are never alone. The Federation stands with you. 🙂

21. To be honest, Wil, I found Wesley annoying in TNG. But in TBBT, playing yourself, you were pretty cool. Now, every time I re-watch TNG (approx. once in 2 years), I am not annoyed by Wesley anymore.

    Thank you for your blog entry (it managed to appear in Google news in Germany) and, of course, Happy Birthday TNG!

22. Today is my father in laws birthday but he doesn’t know it. He was a kind and loving dad to husband growing up – only raising his hand to him once, ever. He had a love for technology and Star Trek and Sci-fi that he passed on with enthusiasm. Husband was/is a die-hard watcher of every series. He missed part of the finale of DS9, because it was early on in our dating… he was coming to my apartment and I was late. Only now do I understand, and for that, I’m sorry. (he knows ; )
    His dad is now in the end stages of Lewy Body Dementia. It’s a horrible disease that takes everything from you, and leaves this empty shell. It could be a few weeks, a few months? It’s hard to tell. He doesn’t speak in sentences, sleeps a lot, and has no idea who anyone is.
    Although you never could have known it at the time, your participation in this simple show was an outlet for those who are inspired by those who boldy go where no man has gone before. That was passed to my father in law, my husband, and to me. A bridge for love.
    So, thank you.
    -mimi

23. I’m remembering a blog entry about a reunion with the TNG cast (it may have been virtual), and you said they were happy to have you there, not for anything you did or said, but just for being. I keep coming back to that as an example of unconditional love, which I find hard to visualize. Thank you for that.

24. The many challenges you have faced through your life have rang true with many of my own. Thank you helping me see that is possible to get past what you can and survive through what doesn’t.

25. Today is my father in laws birthday but he doesn’t know it. He was a kind and loving dad to husband growing up – only raising his hand to him once, ever. He had a love for technology and Star Trek and Sci-fi that he passed on with enthusiasm. Husband was/is a die-hard watcher of every series. He missed part of the finale of DS9, because it was early on in our dating… he was coming to my apartment and I was late. Only now do I understand, and for that, I’m sorry. (he knows ; )
    His dad is now in the end stages of Lewy Body Dementia. It’s a horrible disease that takes everything from you, and leaves this empty shell. It could be a few weeks, a few months? It’s hard to tell. He doesn’t speak in sentences, sleeps a lot, and has no idea who anyone is.
    Although you never could have known it at the time, your participation in this simple show was an outlet for those who are inspired by those who boldy go where no man has gone before. That was passed to my father in law, my husband, and to me. A bridge for love.
    So, thank you.
    -mimi

    *sorry for any reposts, I was having tech issues.

26. I really enjoyed your TNG episodes with Ashley Judd. You two had great chemistry and I’d always hoped that she would return while you were on the show. Still haven’t gotten over that, even now! :-). I hope you two will be able to have a reunion on a film/TV/play/radio (anything else possible?) in the future.

27. Speaking of Star Trek…Wesley the Traveler showing up on Picard would be the best thing ever… just sayin’

28. I was eleven and just heading into the worst three years of my growing up – middle school. You and your colleagues helped give me a world I could bury myself in to get away from the pain of utter rejection by my peers and indifference and ignorance from the adults in my life. I’m sorry you had such a tough time too but please know that TNG was something of a life saver for a random internet stranger.

29. Don’t stress about not appreciating what you had when you were 14, Wil. NO ONE did. That’s how the saying came about, which I still say on a regular basis: “I wish I could go back then, but knowing what I know now.”
    What I really wish is that I could stop wishing!

30. I tried to post a comment Friday but I don’t know if it’s held up in comment jail?

    1. That shows up?! 🙄

31. Your teens are a hard part of your life, you have a lot of things happening to you, your brain is re-wiring itself, you body is re-wiring itself, you are trying to work out who you are, who are you… i don’t think anyone is ever ready for that stage of life, and then there is the added pressures of everyone’s individual circumstance. i know my life wasn’t the greatest at that point either, which lead to a lot of fall out in these later years.

    Star Trek and especially TNG popped up in my life, and there was this kid on the screen, who was highly intelligent, and cleer but was in an adult world, being judged on adult terms and struggling to balance life with inexperience.. And suddenly, there was a character who spoke to me, who i could identify with, who i knew. And suddenly i wasn’t alone in the universe (even though Wesley was not a “real” person he was real). i am sad that writers didn’t really know what to do with him, i am more than upset that fans of the series gave you a hard time because of him.. because, that’s just not right. but i woudl like to put my hand up and say thankyou to you, i realise that point of your life was not great, that you had more than enough on your plate really, but you really did have a possitive efect on this persons life. and still do. and i am glad that you got some possitive things out of something which was is encompassed by negative things.

32. And we still love Wesley Crusher!

33. TNG will live on forever. From the dawn of civilization, people have looked to the sea and the stars and imagined the great adventure that lies beyond the horizon, until that adventure evenutally became reality. You have been part of that great story – and for all the pain this sometime cost you, this story, your story has been good and memorable. May the story continue and bring you joy and wonder! To the stars!

34. I also often think about how my life is so different because of TNG. I know you’ve said many times that they were your family, and I really felt the same way. My parents weren’t there for me in a lot of ways either, and I learned so much from TNG! I learned how people could work together despite their differences, I learned how people could disagree with each other respectfully, and I saw a future where people genuinely cared for each other.

    I met my wife because of Star Trek and it’s what first brought us together. Our son is 17 now and we have watched all of TNG now once through, and we’re on our second rewatch now.

    And you know what else, my wife and I were recently hired to write some supplements (basically episodes) for the Star Trek Adventures roleplaying game. We were allowed to choose the era. And oh my gosh, of course we chose to write TNG. Because it is our hearts on the page.

    It is a little strange now to watch the episodes today and know that you were so unhappy. But I’m so glad that it affected you so positively and I enjoy checking in on you here from time to time. I hope you and your family stay well and I’m glad you’ve found happiness.

35. Good evening Wil. Just wanted to say “Thank you!” for participating in and promoting the Trek the Vote event tonight. Our family greatly enjoyed the experience. It was a huge cast and showed a tremendous amount of dedication on the part of all the actors participating to take the time necessay to be involved. Give yourself a congratulatory ring of the Radio Free Burrito bell on behalf of us watching (and voting) in Ohio.

36. Had a question about TableTop, this looked like the most current post. In short I was wondering if TableTop ever did old board games? There are some that could do with an update, that I think are still fast and fun.

37. Great to read your blog post. You’re lovely to share so much of your heart. Thanks from a new -old- fan.

38. Thanks for the wonderful memories — my memories of TNG were: anticipation, initial disappointment with the first season but extreme relief that the series was back (my childhood series that informed my entire life!), a great appreciation for Wesley who was struggling to grow up under the eyes of the senior staff, and finally, deep awe in response to the later seasons that brought out issues with which we are still struggling. Live long and prosper, Wil!

39. I know this is off-topic for this post but I just got to watch “Rent-a-Pal”. It was wiierd and creepy, and I liked it for both those things. One of the things that I liked the most was, as a viewer, you never really knew if Andy was being genuine, or genuinely creepy. At another layer, you never knew if all the “interaction was all in Davids’ head or not.
    Also, in a REALLY creepy way, your performance as Andy felt like a really thinly veiled version of what I see of you when you’re just being Wil. Fantastic job, dude. Really, really good.

40. Poor stephanie that probably had a crush on you and ended up introducing you your wife
    It’s never wrecking being friend with guys, let alone guys that never hit on you, I have this huge respect for girls that can . Huge!

41. There are tons of times I wish I could have enjoyed more in that moment. That…intentionalism is it? Being present. Being/living in the moment. Enjoyment not wrapped up in, opportunities not taken, etc. I think of the line from “About Time”:

    “I just try to live every day as if I’ve deliberately come back to this one day, to enjoy it, as if it was the full final day of my extraordinary, ordinary life.”

    Off topic: I really enjoyed “Just a Geek” (which I recommend any of your readers here check out) which I had checked out around the time I read “The Nerdist Way” by Chris Hardwick and “You’re Never Weird on the Internet” by Felicia Day. I would love to read a new book from you along the same lines. Similar to how Bruce Campbell wrote a “later years” (of sorts) book as a follow up to his earlier stuff about his life.

    My recommendation for the title: “Shut Up Wesley”

    HEY! gotta own that tired old joke people like to spout to you from time to time on the interwebs!

42. The Next Generation – the best generation!

43. My dad was always a fan of the original, watched it whenever he could, but I never was. I thought it was kind of hokey-looking, and I was right, and so, being young, I never looked past that to see the stories. But then when I was heading to my senior year of high school, here comes this new version. It looks slick, seems interesting, there’s even this kid about my age in the cast. Dad was really excited about it, so I thought, why not, spend a little time with the old man, see what comes of it.

    Five minutes in I was hooked for life.

    Dad was a geek, although I never really realized it until that day. Now I’m a geek, and I’m raising geeks (my six-year-old twins know by heart that the correct answer to “What are you?” is “I am a Jedi, like my father before me.” Sorry to invoke THE OTHER…) And I want to say thanks to the PROFESSIONAL geek that reminded me why, and all of his cohorts from 1987.

44. I just wanted to express how much I’m enjoying the Ready Room show.
    Your enthusiasm for Star Trek is infectious. And your ability to connect with both actors, writers and production staff is fantastic.
    I look forward to watching Ready Room almost as much as I look forward to the shows themselves.

    Is there any outtakes/bloopers available from the show (Ready Room)?

    Thanks again

45. Frack. 33 Years? I’m 33 days late seeing your interview with Earnie for RP2. Damn, so well done. And a De Lorean!

46. Come back, Wil. Post your brain. Or at least I hope you’re checking in with someone.

47. I’m actually sitting here watching Season 3 Episode 1 with my daughter, and she says to me, “Why does that kids voice sound so familiar.” So I tell her, “That’s Wil Wheaton.” And she says, “No way the guy from Tabletop, Ready Player One, and Redshirts!?” I laughed and laughed and laughed.

48. Listening to you on Ready Player Two. Great job.

49. This is incredible!

50. This is incredible!

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