There’s a reason that theStar TrekIP remains popular, despite any bumps in the franchise road that include bad movies, angry fans, and unimpressed critics. Some of the most iconic and beloved characters in television and movie history have been introduced to audiences via aStar Trekproperty.
A few of these characters have gone on to carry their own spinoff shows, withPicardas oneof the most recent examples.Star Trek: The Next Generationonly survived two cringe-worthy first seasons thanks to the compelling figure of Jean Luc Picard at the helm, but there were other characters on the show that were just as interesting. These characters could easily carry spinnoff shows of their own.
7Guinan
This might just be too easy. Guinan could be one of the most popular and beloved characters inTNG, and technically she’s not even a crew member. She played a supporting role in the movieStar Trek: Generationsandhas also appeared inPicard.
RELATED:Star Trek: Best Lieutenant Commanders, Ranked
The possibilities for a series featuring Guinan could go in a myriad of different directions. It could focus on her early life and the traditions of her people, the mysterious and deeply intuitive El-Aurians, or her rocky dealings with the Q Continuum. Even a retelling of a season ofTNGfrom her point of view could be interesting.
6Deanna Troi
Would anyone even know she was a Betazoid if it wasn’t for the lore? It’s barely referenced in the show, which is disappointing, and it’s something that could be a central point of a series about Counselor Troi. Early episodes ofTNGexplored some of the past relationships she had with Riker on Betazed, but there was never any in-depth story.
RELATED:Potential Premises For A New Star Trek Movie
There’s also the ongoing drama between Deanna and her mother Lwaxana, played by long-time Trek alumni Majel Barrett, who appeared in TOS as Nurse Chapel and the original XO in the pilot. Considering Troi’s interesting background and what must have been a riveting time training her psychic and empathic abilities, along with her popularity among fans, there’s very little material that’s been dedicated to her alone.
5Geordi La Forge
Geordi La Forge has so many connectionsthroughout theStar Trekuniverse that he might have enough visibility for his own series already. Beyond the screen time, his engineering talents have made their mark on human history, and he worked with legendary engineer Montgomery Scott fromThe Original Series.
La Forge has a long and illustrious career outside of his work on the USS Enterprise, which included becoming Chief Engineer and Data’s first human friend. He would go on to administer the Fleet Museum and appear inDeep Space Nine,Picard,and one episode ofVoyager.
4Worf
Worf isn’t just one of the most popular characters inThe Next Generation. His story goes all the way back to the days of the movies starring the cast ofThe Original Series,when he was the defense lawyer for Kirk and McCoy versus the Klingon Empire inStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
RELATED:Star Trek: Things You Didn’t Know About Worf
The story of Worf could be his memoir, told with the rise and fall of the Klingon Empire in the background and all the historic events that took place along the way. A series about his time as the only Klingon in the Starfleet Academy could be a movie or series.
3Q
It doesn’t have to be about the Q fromTNG, although it could be. He’s known for his supporting roles in other shows includingPicardandVoyager, and since the Q Continuumare beings with god-like powers, any of them can do almost anything.
These abilities are the reason why characters like Q are regulated to supporting roles, but there are ways to make this part of the plot. There was aTNGepisode that featured a plotline in which Q loses his powers, for example, and another where he mimics characters from oldTOSepisodes. There’s a lot that a clever writer could do with a show that focuses on Q.
2William Riker
If one-half ofTNG’s power couple is on this list, the other can also join in, and they some of the most exciting people in the Enterprise. Jonathan Frakes brought another dimension to William Riker, a character that seemed to have a distinguished career that the audience didn’t hear enough about.
RELATED:Star Trek: Things You Didn’t Know About Commander Riker
Riker’s career started years before he set foot on the USS Enterprise, and his rise through the ranks of Starfleet command must be a compelling saga. He worked with Geordi La Forge on the USS Hood, and was one of the officers involved in the Pegasus Incident when his commanding officer got caught testing an illegal cloaking device.
1Natasha Yar
The sudden passing of Tasha Yar is one of the most infamous in theStar Trekuniverse. She had a unique backstory that introduced a new idea to theStar Trekuniverse: that not everywhere the Federation planted their flag was an idealistic paradise.
It was a darker idea that would develop in the gritty politics ofshows likeDeep Space Nineand the survivalist themes ofVoyager. A closer look at what happened to the failed colony on Turkana IV would be a memorable story, along with how Yar managed to survive in such a harsh environment.
