Jean Luc Picard Star Trek

Photograph of a man in a red and black commander uniform in front of a blue background. With white text in the bottom left corner of button.

Star Trek: The Next Generation first aired in 1987, and is still the only syndicated television show to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. The Next Generation was announced in 1986, 20 years after the original Star Trek series aired. British actor Patrick Stewart played Starship Enterprise Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and was a cast member for all seven seasons of the show. Gene Roddenberry, the series creator, did not initially approve of the casting of Stewart—whose background included work as an actor with Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Company—but was eventually persuaded, in part due to the actor's resonant and powerful voice.