10 Star Trek Facts You Probably Didn't Know
1. Patrick Stewart Thought The Next Generation Was Destined To Fail
When Patrick Stewart signed a six-year contract for The Next Generation, he did it convinced the show would be quickly canceled. He has said that at the time he didn't even want the job, believing that trying to resurrect the short-lived Star Trek series with an entirely new cast was bound to fail.
"I was very clear about what to expect. Star Trek: The Next Generation was going to be an utter failure and I would be on my way back to England within a few months. I could make some money for the first time in my life, get a suntan and go home."
He couldn't have been more wrong. The Next Generation brought new life to a franchise that would continue to grow over the years and his character, Picard, became one of the most loved Captain in the Star Trek universe. Like fans, Stewart came to love his character and the series he worked on, but one can only imagine how shocked his younger self would be.
Decades later the lasting legacy of The Next Generation is exemplified in the current well-received series, Star Trek: Picard.