Star Trek: The Next Generation Treated Scotty Better Than Any Other Original Series Guest Star

Scotty (James Doohan) was treated better on Star Trek: The Next Generation than any other Star Trek: The Original Series guest star. Captain Montgomery Scott appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6, episode 4, "Relics," after having survived for 75 years in a transporter pattern buffer. Scotty was rescued by Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the crew of the USS Enterprise-D, and the former Chief Engineer spent time aboard Picard's Galaxy Class starship.

Star Trek: The Next Generation decidedly established its own identity and rarely referenced Star Trek: The Original Series. However, as Star Trek: The Next Generation progressed, the 'no original Star Trek' rule was occasionally relaxed, especially after Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's death in 1991. Still, TNG expanded the Star Trek universe and created numerous new concepts, aliens, and characters, moving far beyond what was established in Star Trek: The Original Series' 23rd century.

Only a handful of Star Trek: The Original Series legacy characters appeared in TNG: Admiral Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) cameoed in TNG's series premiere, Ambassador Sarek (Mark Lenard) appeared in TNG season 3, and Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) arrived in TNG season 5. Scotty was the last icon from the original Star Trek to appear in TNG, and his experience with the crew of the USS Enterprise-D was the best of all.

Scotty Got To Meet Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Entire Crew In "Relics"

Captain Scott Got The Royal Treatment On TNG

Scotty is the only Star Trek: The Original Series guest star who got to meet and have scenes with the entire cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. TNG, naturally, made sure to pair Scotty with Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) to compare and contrast the two Starship Enterprise Chief Engineers. Yet Scotty also enjoyed memorable moments meeting Commander Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn), and Dr. Beverly Crusher.

Perhaps the most iconic moment in "Relics" was Star Trek: The Next Generation recreating the original USS Enterprise's ("No bloody A, B, C, or D") bridge on the holodeck. It was the first time that Star Trek brought back that famous bridge set, and Scotty was able to share a drink with Captain Picard while reminiscing about his adventures with Captain Kirk a century before. Another warmly received scene was Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) pouring Scotty a drink in Ten Forward. ("It is green.")

Scotty's farewell to Star Trek: The Next Generation was also the royal treatment. Captain Picard and the entire senior staff of the USS Enterprise-D gathered at the hangar to see the legendary engineer off. Scotty was even gifted a shuttlecraft for his journey. None of the other Star Trek: The Original Series actors who visited TNG were treated as well as Mr. Scott.

Admiral McCoy Only Met Data In Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Premiere

Bones Had A Quick Walk-On In "Encounter At Farpoint"

DeForest Kelley appeared as the aged Admiral Leonard McCoy in Star Trek: The Next Generation's series premiere, "Encounter at Farpoint," but Bones only made a glorified cameo. Walking the halls of the USS Enterprise-D with Data, McCoy's role was a symbolic passing of the torch from the original Star Trek crew to The Next Generation. Bones was also there to remind Data and the audience about the importance of the Starship Enterprise itself.

While Admiral McCoy had a brief but charming scene with Data, it was also inconsequential to the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation's premiere. Bones appearing in "Encounter at Farpoint" is often a forgotten portion of TNG's two-hour premiere, and Sarek, Spock, and Scotty's later Star Trek: The Next Generation appearances are more notable and celebrated.

Sarek & Spock Mainly Met Captain Picard In Star Trek: The Next Generation

Picard Was The Focal Point Of Spock & Sarek On TNG

Ambassador Sarek was the first truly significant Star Trek: The Original Series character to guest star on Star Trek: The Next Generation. TNG season 3, episode 23, "Sarek," established that Spock's father was seriously ill from Bendii Syndrome, and Sarek mind-melded with Captain Picard. Although Sarek did take part in a concert on the USS Enterprise-D that included the main cast of TNG, the legendary Vulcan's main scenes were with Captain Picard.

Ambassador Spock's appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5's "Unification" two-parter helped mark the 25th anniversary of Star Trek in 1991, and it coincided with Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. However, all of Spock's scenes were on Romulus, and the Vulcan hero never boards the USS Enterprise-D. Spock meets Captain Picard, Data, and Sela (Denise Crosby), the Romulan daughter of the late Lieutenant Tasha Yar, but it's unfortunate Star Trek: The Next Generation didn't find a way to bring Spock aboard the Enterprise.

As notable and historic as McCoy, Sarek, and Spock's appearances on Star Trek: The Next Generation were, Scotty's guest spot in "Relics" delivered everything fans hoped for. Scotty's interactions with the USS Enterprise-D's crew were steeped in reverence and engaging character beats, Mr. Scott met all the key TNG players, and TNG went all out by bringing back the original USS Enterprise bridge. No one else from Star Trek: The Original Series was treated quite as well as Scotty by Star Trek: The Next Generation.