10 Crossover Events In The Star Trek Universe (Pre-Star Trek Picard)

4. Scotty, Star Trek: The Next Generation

When: TNG, S6, Ep 4, ‘Relics’

James Doohan had been one of the more vocal original cast members when news of The Next Generation first appeared. He felt that the new show was simply rehashing many of the older stories from TOS and, to be fair, he had a point. ‘The Naked Now’, ‘The Child’ and ‘Unnatural Selection’ from TNG’s first and second seasons were either copies, updates or entire lifts of stories from TOS.

However, Doohan’s family made him sit down and watch the show and he grew to enjoy it on its own merits, mirroring the reactions of TOS fans who had slowly grown to respect TNG during its run.

Why It Was Great

This is an episode of pure nostalgia, leaning more heavily on call backs than ‘Unification’ before it and, excellent as both stories were, it’s ‘Relics’ that brings the fun quotient up several more notches.

‘NCC-1701. No bloody A, B, C or D.’

Scotty and Picard, sharing a drink on the bridge of the original Matt Jeffries Enterprise is an iconic image, heart-breaking in it’s delivery showing not just the memories of time gone by but the aging of the very man who could be counted on to keep everything together.

Chronologically Scotty’s last appearance in Star Trek, his team up with Geordi to save the day with the good old know how that only he could muster is a pure delight from start to finish. An excellent use of one of the originals, coupled with clever special effects to show off the old bridge, makes this one of the best crossover events in the Trek universe.