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I remember a discussion with at least Shatner and Stewart, I believe it was The Captain's Summit, where Shatner admitted to Stewart that he had never watched a single TNG episode. They seemed to know each other pretty well and be personal friends, so the TNG actors that were present couldn't help to be mildly shattered (no pun intended) by that confession.

I'm not quite sure if it was ironic or meant as some sort of joke, since I don't know his personality (only some of his roles). Are there other statements that support the theory of his discontent of TNG? Am I reading too much into a joke?

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  • Maybe he like(s|d) the job, not the franchise.
    – Raphael
    Commented Jun 7, 2012 at 23:16
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    It's been my observation of Shatner that he takes the whole Star Trek thing with immense good humour. I strongly suspect he was joking.
    – Christi
    Commented Jun 8, 2012 at 0:11
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    Shatner disapproves of anything which does not involve him hogging up all the spotlight and screen time.
    – BBlake
    Commented Jun 8, 2012 at 0:17

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In this recent NPR interview, he implies he's watched at least a bit of it:

"I have a lot of respect for Patrick Stewart, and [it was seeing] the gravitas that this great Shakespearean actor gave to his role that I suddenly realized that this guy is taking Capt. Picard every bit as seriously as Macbeth," Shatner says. "And I used to. And I stopped. And what the hell's the matter with me? It was a great piece of work. Everybody contributed to it for three years, and it has lasted 50. It's a phenomenon. Why aren't I proud of it? And that's when I had a moment."

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    Sure he didn't talk about "Generations"?
    – bitmask
    Commented Jun 8, 2012 at 19:42
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It was posted in one of earlier answers here that Roddenberry once said that TOS was not really canon in his opinion as compared to TNG. It is quite possible Shatner, being vain like most leading actors, was heavily smatrting over that slight and jealous of TNG.

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    Roddenberry really didn't consider TOS to be canon? Do you have any links about that? I find that odd and interesting. (and a little weird to be honest)
    – eidylon
    Commented Jun 8, 2012 at 18:29
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    @eidylon - I read it here: scifi.stackexchange.com/a/17637/976
    – Silver Fox
    Commented Jun 9, 2012 at 0:05
  • Huh. Interesting. Thanks!
    – eidylon
    Commented Jun 9, 2012 at 1:15

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