A Different “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

Ain’t It Cool News has a report from a memo from April of 1987 showing some of the people they wanted to read for the various cast parts for the show. Here’s my dream cast from the choices they had –

Picard: Yaphet Kotto

Riker: Ben Murphy

Data: Kelvin Han Yee

LaForge: Wesley Snipes (Yes, really!)

Check out the article. You may have your own, better ideas. Allen Steele, in his alternate-America novel The Tranquility Alternative, had Anthony Quinn as Picard and Rob Morrow (who was still on Northern Exposure when Steele was writing the novel) as Data.

My best idea outside of these? Just get ride of Wesley, okay? Bad idea? I mean, Wil Wheaton seems to be a great guy, still active in skiffy fandom and such, but God, was that character a whiner.

Just think…Anthony Frickin’ Quinn…wow…